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First came the high winds. They blew hard against the “MV Times” sign above the entry to our newsroom, leaving it hanging by one rusty nail, twisting in the wind.
“A sign of the times,” quipped a colleague, who, given the crisis in local newspapers across the country, was talking about more than just a hand-painted wooden sign hanging on a downward tilt.
Then came the rains. Two days of record storm surge flooded Five Corners in Vineyard Haven, and left up to six inches of water inside the first-floor of our newsroom on Beach Road.
“This is getting biblical,” a staffer observed as he sloshed his way through the desks seeking higher ground.
And it all culminated with a crash. Our main server, which stores all the news organization’s digital files, and our archive, short-circuited, leaving us with a black box that had a little red light flickering a warning, and a chirping alarm that was faint, but distressing.
“You’ve got to be kidding me! What’s next, locusts?” cried a member of the team, who actually inserted two well-placed f-bombs into those sentences for full effect as to just how devastating a server crash can be in a newsroom, especially when a backup hard drive has failed as well.
So it seems my first days as the publisher of The MV Times have brought a level of calamity straight out of the Book of Exodus.
But along with these biblical plagues, there also came a few miracles last week that have renewed some faith in this resilient team that reports, edits, and produces the news that serves you, our readers, day in and day out.
There is truly a light at the end of this parable, but when that server crashed last Monday and we all were left staring blankly at the blinking red light, it felt like darkness had descended, and we were among the forsaken. On Tuesday morning, we were not sure we would be able to publish the paper, a fate that would have been an insult to the decades of publishing through blizzards, hurricanes, and pandemics.
Come hell or high water, I knew we had to get the paper out. To fail to publish on time is a mortal sin in the holy book of journalism. But we had only 24 hours to figure it out before the paper was due at the printer on Wednesday, so we could deliver it to you on Thursday!
Perhaps the best thing we did in navigating this crisis was to stay calm. First, we assessed the damage to the server. Tara Kenny, who coordinates our IT and operations, had a one-word report: “Bleak.” So we called a Boston-based tech firm that specializes in restoring servers. They told us it was unlikely we would be able to recover what was lost on the drive, and that we would have to ship it to California, which could take weeks or perhaps even months. We knew that wouldn’t work.
Then we reached out to a local tech legend, or perhaps staying in the biblical theme, I should say a “saint,” named Rick Mello. He had built the server more than 10 years ago for The MV Times. But five years ago he had moved on, and now heads up IT at the Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. The servers had not really been maintained since. Our design director, Kristofer Rabasca, called him, and shared the crisis we were in. On his own time, Mello met me early the next morning, and picked up the fried server. He brought it to his home, and that night he began to breathe life back into it, eventually recovering almost 90 percent of the data. Some fast-thinking members of The MV Times team did their part, finding old files to serve as templates for the pages in the paper.
Meanwhile, our staff was coming together to get all the copy ready early, so we could flow it into the page templates, and said prayers that the server would be salvaged in time. Instead of waiting around, the team started cleaning up and drying out the offices. A few amazing do-gooders began working together to build a new closet for our technology, which is high and dry thanks to carpenter Josh Flanders and electrician Cole Powers, who came to the rescue. And through it all, our new owner, Steve Bernier, just kept answering the phone from his office over at Cronig’s, saying, “We got this. Don’t worry. Do what you need to do.”
And so, on the seventh day, the server was restored. The page templates were working, and the team somehow pulled together the stories for the paper in record time so it could be delivered to the printer in Connecticut on time to be bundled and trucked back over to the Island in time to be distributed to your home on Thursday am, or to the stores or newsstands where you pick up the paper. You would not have known about this story unfolding behind the scenes, but I hope you do know you are lucky to have a group of individuals who work at The MV Times who believe in bringing you the first rough draft of this Island’s history every week in the paper, and every day online. They are all local heroes, and they proved it last week.
The paper they produced was not perfect, but it definitely captured all of the big themes I hope we can take on during my tenure as publisher.
At the center of the paper was the story about affordable housing, a story I am hoping we can stay focused on. We chronicled a group of advocates, including real estate agents, who had traveled to Boston and climbed the steps of the State House to support a new legislative initiative that would earmark $4 billion for affordable housing statewide. There is perhaps no more challenging and important issue for this Island than housing, and that was the right story to feature on the front page for my first edition as publisher. I would love to hear from you if you have ideas on how we should be covering the housing crisis, and how we might convene stakeholders and those most deeply affected by this issue.
And in the hard news lead slot, there was a complex story of a public official being held accountable. I believe we need to be strong but also fair when reporting on wrongdoing by public servants. In this case, it was a former fire chief who had been dogged by allegations of impropriety and let go by one town, only to be hired by another, and then once again find himself in the crosshairs of the law. He was detained at Logan Airport and brought back to the courthouse in Edgartown, where he pleaded not guilty to charges of more misconduct, this time involving a sex tape.
We thought long and hard about how we could report the story without sensationalizing it. We tried to keep in mind the responsibility we have to report the story accurately and with compassion for all involved, and to focus on the nuance of what happens when a man described as a good firefighter who served the Island is also allegedly a predator who has crept into our community. We also have to remember he deserves his day in court, and so we will stay on this story.
There were other stories too, including the surprise announcement that Beach Road Weekend, a three-day music festival, would not be held this summer. There are many fans of the concert series who were profoundly disappointed, but a vocal minority of critics on the Island were pleased to hear the news. It seemed the organizer was losing money, and had grown fatigued by tangling with local officials who had thrown so many barriers in his way. For me, this announcement merits reflection. We lost a great concert series, a real boon to local businesses, and we might do well to ask ourselves if that was for the greater good, or for a minority who were strongly opposed. How can The MV Times play a role in bringing people together to discuss issues like this, and be sure all sides are heard? That is something we will be working on, and we would love to hear your ideas.
And there were stories of local heroes who were pinned with new insignia in the Coast Guard, and the boys high school swim team winning a regional championship. There were poignant stories of loved ones lost and their lives shared in the obituary section. And the story of nine seals who had mysteriously washed ashore, leaving experts wondering what caused the phenomenon. There were stories of local government in action, with coverage of town planning boards and the board of education, and there were tales of the lore of fishing and what impact the recent beach erosion might have on sport fishing. All of these articles in the paper are what make up the story of our Island, and under new ownership, I want to assure you, we are committed to making sure we can keep bringing you these stories.
Our challenge will be to embrace this changing Island, which is growing every day in its diversity. Indeed, the Island population has doubled since the years before COVID to an estimated 20,000 year-round residents. In the most recent survey out of the schools, 30 percent of high school students reported speaking a language other than English at home. In the Tisbury School, that number climbed to an estimated 70 percent. The vast majority of these students are Brazilian, and The MV Times is dedicating itself to doing a better job covering this vibrant community, and hearing more from them about their hopes and dreams, and their concerns.
There is also a vibrant and growing year-round Black community, which as we all know is part of a long and proud tradition of Black families on the Island. There are more and more members of the Black community who are now choosing to stay year-round, adding to an already vital community and rich heritage. We have more work to celebrate that history, and we have to do a better job honoring the Wampanoag tribe, and making sure we are documenting their stories.
And, of course, as always, The MV Times will need to serve all the working people of this Island who live here year-round, and who make up what this paper called in its founding mission statement “real Islanders.” We want The MV Times to be real news for real Islanders, and we will be reaching out to every aspect of the community to hear how we can best do that.
So please consider this the first in a series of columns I will be writing about the future of The MV Times, and how we are hoping to transform the news organization to better serve the Island community.
At the end of last week, after we finally had the paper out on the newsstands, we were already planning for this week’s paper. And on Friday, as the sun began to go down, I was walking out with the same colleague who had suggested our fallen sign might be a “sign of the times.” I pointed out that maybe our new friend and neighbor, Cole Powers, the electrician, had given us a new “sign of the times”: Cole had not only helped us to rehang the sign, but he had donated and installed new spotlights that serve to illuminate the “MV Times” sign more brightly than ever, even in these long, dark nights in the bleak midwinter.
So, as the bible says, Let there be light!
Charles M. Sennott is the newly named publisher of The MV Times. An awardwinning journalist, a best-selling author, and founder and editor-in-chief of the nonprofit news organization the GroundTruth Project, Sennott lives in Chilmark.
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https://www.mvtimes.com/2024/01/31/a-sign-of-the-times/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:34Z
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Even though Palworld is in Early Access and the world seems quite barren apart from randomly placed Pals, there’s still plenty to do in the late game. In this article, we will break down what you can do to stay busy in Palworld.
5 Late Game Things to Do in Palworld
It’s normal to feel lost after defeating all bosses and exploring every biome, but I assure you that you haven’t experienced all the activities available for high-level players.
Catch All Pals and Enhance the Ones You Have
Palworld is home to over 100 unique creatures. Pals come in various forms and possess unique abilities. Some Pals even have variations, such as Frostallion Noct and Suzaku Aqua, effectively increasing the number of available creatures for players to collect. Catching all Pals does more than complete your Paldeck. It also gives you a strategic advantage for battles and tasks in the later stages of Palworld.
Once you’ve collected all Pals, you will likely have a few with rare passive abilities. You might even have some Lucky Pals that you might want to make stronger. Selecting a Pal to increase its stats is much easier when you have at least one of each species in your Palbox. Browse through them until you find a Pal that you like. Then, collect a bunch of extra Pals of the same species, place them in the Pal Essence Condenser, and watch your favorite Pal’s stats increase.
Breed the Perfect Pal
Breeding in Palworld is a complex yet rewarding process. Pals inherit the passive abilities of their parents, which can result in powerful offspring. For instance, pairing a Necromus and a Direhowl might create a legendary Anubis. If Anubis inherits the Legend passive skill from Necromus, it’ll be granted a 20% damage boost. On top of that, Legend stacks with Anubis’ Ground Earth passive skill, which increases the damage of Ground-type attacks.
However, this is just the standard process of creating a legendary Anubis. To create the perfect one, you might want to use a parent with the Botanical Barrier passive skill, which decreases incoming Grass-type damage by 10%, making Anubis more viable even when fighting an Elemental-type that would be effective against it.
Build the Perfect Base
In the late game of Palworld, bases might often be attacked by powerful human and Pal enemies. Therefore, it’s crucial to find the perfect spot that prevents enemies from reaching your base or to construct it in a way that makes it easier for you to defend it. A well-fortified base can be a safe haven for players and their Pals. It’ll help you avoid the frustration of returning to your base only to find all your Pals on the ground amidst your items that dropped from destroyed chests while your home burns.
Unfortunately, constructing a base with durable materials in a suitable location is a lengthy process. You’ll be constantly going out to gather resources. Many players dislike this part of Palworld, and they have a point. The grind is very long when you reach this part of the game.
That said, a good flying mount can make this process much less painful. You can use it to find cliffs and mountains that can’t be accessed without a flying Pal, making it safe against non-flying enemies. A fast mount will also be quite helpful to save time when you’re going out to collect ore or any other rare material that you need to make resistant walls and foundations.
It’s also important to make your base visually appealing. After all, you’ll spend a lot of time in it. Many players spend more time commanding their Pals and micromanaging tasks than exploring Palpagos Island. For that reason, it is nice to have access to all the available recipes in the Technology tab since they include decoration items such as chairs, tables, carpets, mirrors, etc.
Unlock All Technology Recipes
Technology plays a crucial role in Palworld. However, leveling up alone won’t grant you enough technology points to unlock everything in your Technology tab. Fortunately, players can gain more Technology Points by farming High Grade Technical Manuals, an item dropped by Hoocrates, Wixen, and Katress.
If you happen to catch one of the fastest mounts in Palworld, it might be a good idea to also visit the No.3 Wildlife Sanctuary. It’s a small, weird-looking island northeast of Deep Sand Dunes. It’s the same place you must go to capture a Shadowbeak. There are many chests with valuable items in that area. Many of these chests will have High Grade Technical Manuals in them.
Assemble a Powerful Combat Team
Assembling a powerful combat team is important for those who want to capture legendary Pals, but also for players who are interested in the future implementation of Player versus Player (PvP) battles. The best combat teams often include Pals like Warsect, Jormuntide Ignis, and Anubis, known for their high damage. That said, there’s more to it than selecting Pals with high base stats. One must also consider Pals that were bred to be legendary, and Lucky Pals that are able to catch adversaries off-guard.
For instance, if you use a Chikipi, your adversary might want to use a Dark-type Pal since it deals more damage against Neutral-type ones. However, a Lucky Chikipi might have a Dragon-type attack, which is highly effective against Dark-type Pals. Figuring out how to build a team with the perfect skills, stats, and resistance is a very long process that will certainly keep you busy for many, many hours.
- This article was updated on January 31st, 2024
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https://attackofthefanboy.com/guides/palworld-late-game-things-to-do/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:36Z
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The jury at a coroner’s inquest into a mass stabbing on a Saskatchewan First Nation has made 14 recommendations.
They suggest improvements to locate offenders who are unlawfully at large and further funding and training for security on the James Smith Cree Nation.
The coroner also made 15 recommendations, which include improvements for the RCMP warrant enforcement suppression team.
The six jurors began deliberating Tuesday morning after hearing 11 days of testimony about how the rampage unfolded, as well as the killer’s personal and prison history.
Myles Sanderson was unlawfully at large when he killed 11 people and injured 17 others on the James Smith Cree Nation and in the nearby village of Weldon in 2022.
He died in police custody a few days later, and a separate inquest into his death is scheduled for February.
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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-jury-coroner-make-recommendations-in-saskatchewan-mass-killing-inquest/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:36Z
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VIRGINIA – Stanley cups are all the rage right now, but some consumers have raised concerns about safety.
There are fears that the popular cups may contain lead.
Stanley officials said the material used to seal the vacuum insulation at the base of the cups does contain lead. However, they said there’s no lead on the surface of any Stanley product that comes into contact with the consumer or the contents of the cup.
“I think any time you hear that you’ll be exposed to lead, you should be concerned,” said Dr. Denise Millstine, Director of Integrative Medicine at Mayo Clinic.”If you are using these cups correctly and they are not broken in terms of their sealant, I don’t think you need to be terribly concerned.”
Dr. Millstine added that she doesn’t think you need to toss your Stanley cups as long as the base of the cup doesn’t come off and expose the seal.
If that does happen, Stanley said the cup is eligible for replacement under the lifetime warranty.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has recalled some other cup brands in the past because their use of lead exceeded federal limits.
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https://www.wsls.com/health/2024/01/31/health-watch-do-stanley-cups-contain-lead/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:36Z
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NETGEAR will see a transition at the top. The company announced that Patrick C.S. Lo, current chief executive officer and chairman of the board, is retiring from his position at NETGEAR and from the company’s Board and will be succeeded by Charles (CJ) Prober, a senior technology executive, to succeed him effective immediately. Lo will remain as a strategic advisor to support a seamless leadership transition through July 2024 and Prober will also join NETGEAR’s Board of Directors.
“As co-founder of NETGEAR, and leader for nearly three decades, it goes without saying that Patrick Lo’s impact on the company is undeniable," said Thomas H. Waechter, NETGEAR lead independent director. "His vision for delivering the future of connectivity through advanced networking products and solutions has shaped who we are as a company, and we celebrate all he has accomplished. CJ has the full confidence of the Board. We look forward to working with him and the NETGEAR leadership team to take the company forward for its next phase of innovation.”
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“When Mark Merrill and I founded NETGEAR 28 years ago, the internet was beginning to show its impact on the world,” said Lo. “We seized the opportunity, and we’ve been innovating and leading the industry in the creation of advanced networking technologies for homes and businesses around the world ever since. We’ve pushed the boundaries of what can be experienced in a connected world, and I am all for the next chapter of the NETGEAR story.”
The appointment of Prober follows a thorough search process over the last 12 months, conducted by the NETGEAR Board, with the goal of appointing a next-generation leader with extensive consumer electronics, software and subscription experience.
Prober is a seasoned and successful business leader who has focused on driving growth, transformation and innovation in his past roles, with decades of expertise in building cutting edge consumer experiences for devices and digital platforms. His experience spans leadership positions at top consumer and technology brands, including roles as president of Life360, CEO at Tile (acquired by Life360), chief operating officer at GoPro, and SVP of digital publishing at Electronic Arts (EA). Prior to his operating roles, Prober served as a consultant with McKinsey & Company where he helped to guide several B2B technology companies.
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“As an innovator and pioneer, NETGEAR is an admired and respected brand by both consumers and businesses at a time when connectivity matters more than ever,” said Prober. “I have built my career on delivering innovative and industry-leading products and services and am proud to join the NETGEAR team to continue this path and to create value for all stakeholders, continuing the company’s strong focus on innovation in the industry. The path forward is incredibly exciting, and I look forward to partnering with the Board, our partners and NETGEAR’s global employee base.”
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https://www.avnetwork.com/news/breaking-meet-netgears-new-ceo-charles-cj-prober
| 2024-01-31T23:59:37Z
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Washington, Feb 1 (AP) White House senior adviser John Podesta will add international climate policy to his job title, replacing special climate envoy John Kerry as the top US official on international climate issues, the White House said Wednesday.
Kerry announced earlier this month that he would step down from the climate job to work on President Joe Biden's reelection campaign. Podesta will take over Kerry's responsibilities when he departs, likely this spring, per the White House, though not his title.
Also Read | Israel-Hamas War: UN Delegation Visits Tel Aviv to Assess Security Situation.
Podesta was a behind-the-scenes veteran on climate in past Democratic administrations. He was brought back to the White House last year to put into place an ambitious US climate programme revived with the USD 375 billion approved in the 2022 climate law. He also led the administration's climate task force.
The job Podesta will assume was created by the Biden administration specifically to fight climate change on the global stage. Kerry has been in the position since Biden took office in 2021.
Kerry's appointment did not require confirmation by the Senate, but a law passed in 2022 requires that special envoys reporting to the secretary of state will have to win Senate approval.
Podesta was not named as climate envoy but rather a senior adviser to the president for international climate policy.
As outlined Wednesday by the White House, Podesta will continue to be involved in overseeing federal spending under the climate law, known as the Inflation Reduction Act, along with domestic climate priorities, adding the international portfolio that Kerry handled. The job will not require Senate confirmation.
White House Chief of Staff Jeff Zients said Kerry "has tirelessly trekked around the world" to help confront the climate crisis. "There is no one better than John Podesta to make sure" the US continues to "meet the gravity of this moment," he said.
Zients called Podesta "a fierce champion for bold climate action" who has served three Democratic presidents and has Biden's trust.
The Washington Post first reported Podesta's appointment. (AP)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body)
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https://www.latestly.com/agency-news/world-news-john-podesta-will-take-over-for-john-kerry-as-top-international-adviser-on-climate-change-5730216.html
| 2024-01-31T23:59:38Z
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A look from Maui six months after devastating wildfires By Debbie Elliott Published January 31, 2024 at 4:39 PM CST Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 5:06 As we approach the six-month anniversary of the Maui fires, we look at the biggest issues that people on the island are still facing. Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2024-01-31/a-look-from-maui-six-months-after-devastating-wildfires
| 2024-01-31T23:59:38Z
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A killer given the same hospital order as schizophrenic Nottingham attacker Valdo Calocane spent just two years in a secure ward before being freed.
Humphrey Burke was given an indefinite hospital order for the manslaughter of a prison van attendant and grandmother who he kicked to death while on his way to court. But the 30-year-old having now been released has raised fears Calocane - who murdered three people during a knife rampage last summer - could also be aided by legal loopholes and soon be free.
Lorraine Barwell, 54, was killed by Burke in the summer of 2015 as she escorted him to be sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court for arson and attempted robbery. Like the loved ones of Calocane's victims, her family were led to believe he would never be set free despite having avoided a full jury trial on murder charges.
But their worst fears have been realised with pictures showing him roaming in public unsupervised after just 24 months, including going grocery shopping and working out at a packed boxing gym in Oxford. He avoided prison with a psychiatric hospital sentence in January 2022 when prosecutors accepted his plea of guilty to manslaughter on the basis of diminished responsibility.
Calocane murdered students Barnaby Webber, Grace O'Malley Kumar, both 19, and caretaker Ian Coates, 65, on June 13 2023. He was sentenced to high-security secure hospital Ashworth. But his victims' families feel they have been “railroaded” into accepting his lesser manslaughter plea.
Speaking on behalf of the victims' families, Barnaby's mum Emma said after the sentence last week: “It’s enough to put the fear of God into us, that this monster Calocane could be out one day. It doesn’t matter if it’s three years, or even 20 or 30 years, he should never, never be let out. We strongly dispute the manslaughter sentence and this basically reaffirms everything we have feared all along.”
Tragic Serco employee Lorraine escorted Burke from his cell at London's Blackfriars crown court where he was due to be sentenced over a claw hammer attack at a Ladbrokes bookies. He kicked her to the ground and then with a second shattered her jaw and caused a brain haemorrhage.
The killer was deemed mentally unfit to stand trial and was sent to Broadmoor for treatment after a trial of facts ruled he caused Lorraine's death. By 2022, however, he was well enough to enter a plea and admitted manslaughter with diminished responsibility at the Old Bailey and given the indefinite order.
Those held at such facilities under sentencing guidelines can be considered for release at certain points if they show an improvement in their mental condition which is approved by a clinician and then a panel or the Justice Minister. Lorraine’s brother Paul Kirkley, 53, told the Sun: “We were led to believe Burke would never be let out but there he is...As soon as they get diminished [responsibility verdict], they are on an easy life. That’s not justice for my sister."
Health worker Paul added: “It’s the same for the poor families of those Nottingham victims — they are rightfully furious about what has gone on. They will now see this and be living in fear that the monster who took their family will be back on the streets in years. Like us, they’ve been told he’ll never be free but look what’s happened. My message to those families is keep pushing, push for the punishment he deserves."
It comes as seven reviews are ongoing into the handling of Calocane’s case. The Attorney General’s office is looking at whether his sentence was too lenient and the decision by prosecutors to accept manslaughter pleas. There are also two reviews into the mental health trust treating Calocane, two referrals to the Independent Office for Police Conduct and a College of Policing review.
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https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/killer-who-kicked-gran-death-32015988
| 2024-01-31T23:59:38Z
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Boeing released its 2023 earnings Wednesday, but the company's CEO spent most of a call with investors talking about safety and quality.
Boeing is facing big questions about quality control after a door plug panel blew off one of its 737 Max 9 jets in midair earlier this month.
"We are not issuing financial outlook for 2024 today. Now is not the time for that," chief executive Dave Calhoun said during an earnings call.
Instead, Calhoun focused much of the call seeking to reassure analysts — and the flying public — that the plane maker is taking the incident seriously.
"We will simply focus on every next airplane, and ensuring we meet all the standards that we have, all the standards that our regulator has and that our customers demand," he said.
Calhoun did not offer any information about the cause of the incident on January 5th, which is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. No one was seriously injured, but the incident touched off another crisis for Boeing. The troubled plane maker was still working to rebuild public trust after 346 people died in two 737 Max 8 jets that crashed in 2018 and 2019.
Boeing said Wednesday it lost $30 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. That's a better performance than the final quarter of 2022, when the company lost more than $600 million. Overall, Boeing lost $2.2 billion last year — its best result in 5 years.
But any improvement in the company's financials has been overshadowed by the latest safety incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration is allowing Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to fly again after an inspection and maintenance. Calhoun said airlines have now returned 129 Max 9 planes to service, out of a total of 171 that were grounded by the FAA.
Earlier this week, Boeing formally withdrew its request for an exemption from federal safety rules in order to speed up certification of its new Boeing Max 7 jet to start flying. The company had been hoping to begin delivering those smaller planes to airlines this year, despite a design flaw with the Max's engine de-icing system that could be potentially catastrophic.
Boeing wanted to use the same workaround that's already in use on its Max 8 and Max 9 jets. Now the company says it will focus on a permanent engineering fix instead.
Calhoun told analysts on Wednesday that process is expected to take about nine months, likely pushing certification of the Max 7 back into 2025.
The FAA has also taken the unusual step of ordering production caps at Boeing's factories. Calhoun said the company will continue producing 737s at the rate of 38 per month until the FAA agrees to lift that limit. And Calhoun told analysts that slowing down production at the behest of regulators would help the company fix problems in its factory and supply chain.
"I'm sort of glad they called out a pause. That's an excuse to take our time, and do it right," Calhoun said. "This is what we do, and how we get better."
But some longtime observers are skeptical that Boeing management is ready to confront the true scale of the problem.
"I'm sure they're hoping for a quick fix," said Peter Lemme, a former Boeing engineer who's now an aviation consultant. "But this is like a cancer in the system. And how far has it infiltrated, and what are you gonna do to eradicate it? I think it's going to take years for Boeing to really get back to where they should be on quality and manufacturing."
The NTSB is expected to release preliminary findings from its investigations of the Alaska Airlines incident in the coming days.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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https://www.kyuk.org/2024-01-31/boeing-declines-to-give-a-financial-outlook-as-it-focuses-on-quality-and-safety
| 2024-01-31T23:59:38Z
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Michigan Economic Development Corporation Proposes $50 Million Grant For Highland Coppers Copperwood Project
VANCOUVER, Jan. 31, 2024 - Highland Copper Company Inc. (TSXV: HI; OTCQB: HDRSF) ("Highland" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that after a yearlong review of the permitted Copperwood Project (the "Project"), the Michigan Economic Development Corporation ("MEDC") has proposed a $50 million grant to be funded by the Strategic Site Readiness Program ("SSRP").
On January 30, 2024, the MEDC, alongside Highland, had the opportunity to present the Project to the Board of the Michigan Strategic Fund ("MSF") for grant consideration. The MSF is the first level of approval, followed by final approval at the Appropriations Committees in both the Michigan House and Senate. Following constructive discussions with the MSF Board, Highland looks forward to addressing further questions regarding Copperwood as we continue to progress through the approval process.
"Highland Copper is thrilled to be in consideration for a $50 million grant from the State of Michigan for our Copperwood Project. We had the opportunity to discuss the project yesterday with the Michigan Strategic Fund Board, from whom approval is required. The MSF Board had a range of questions that we look forward to addressing over the coming period in anticipation of a successful outcome," stated Barry O'Shea, Highland Copper's Interim CEO. "We believe the economic impact of the project will be transformational for the Upper Peninsula and we are thankful for the unwavering support from the local communities."
The SSRP program is funded through the Strategic Outreach and Attraction Reserve Fund ("SOAR") and provides economic assistance for the purpose of creating investment-ready sites to attract and promote investment in the state. The Copperwood Project is strongly aligned with Michigan's focus on mobility and electrification and has the potential to be a key source of U.S. domestic copper to supply the ongoing clean energy transition.
The Copperwood Project team has been present in the Western Upper Peninsula for over a decade, working through the state-led permitting process with the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy, and leading to the announcement of the Project's fully permitted status in early 2023. In addition, through ongoing regular and transparent communications with local stakeholders, the Project has garnered strong local support. Over 20 local villages, cities, townships, and counties as well as numerous local businesses and organizations submitted resolutions and letters of support that accompanied the Project's application for the State grant. A number of the elected officials were present alongside Highland Copper at the MSF Board meeting on Tuesday to demonstrate support for the Project on behalf of their respective government units.
Once in operation, the contribution of the Copperwood Project to the local economy will be transformative, providing approximately 380 well-paying jobs as well as substantial direct, indirect and induced economic benefits from additional spending in an area that has suffered from industry closures in the past decades. Mining has been a part of the Upper Peninsula's economic fabric since the 19th century and remains as important as ever.
About Highland Copper Company
Highland Copper Company Inc. is a Canadian company focused on exploring and developing copper projects in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, U.S.A. The Company owns the Copperwood deposit through long-term mineral leases and 34% of the White Pine North project. The Company also owns surface rights securing access to the deposit and providing space for infrastructure as required. The Company has 736,363,619 common shares issued and outstanding. Its common shares are listed on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "HI" and trade on the OTCQB Venture Market under symbol "HDRSF".
More information about the Company is available on the Company's website at www.highlandcopper.com and on SEDAR at www.sedar.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information
This news release contains "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" (collectively "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. These statements include, without limitation, statements with respect to: (a) the anticipated approval of the grant; (b) projected employment benefits of the Copperwood Project; (c) the anticipated economic benefits to the local and state economies resulting from the construction and operation of the Copperwood Project; and (d) that timing of the next presentation to the MSF Board. The forward-looking statements were prepared based in part on the Company's construction and operation budget for the Copperwood Project, which are summarized in the Company's technical report entitled "Feasibility Study Update Copperwood Project Michigan, USA" dated April 20, 2023 available on SEDARPlus (the "Technical Report"). The forward-looking statements are subject to a number of assumptions, including those set out in the Technical Report, assumptions regarding the location of employees and sources of products and services, and assumptions built into the IMPLAN's model for projecting direct and indirect benefits. These underlying assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Important factors that could materially impact the Company's expectations include: delays in the timing of presentation to the MSF Board; delays in the receipt of approvals of MSF Board; the fact that the approval of the MSF Board for the grant is uncertain, and may not occur; the fact that the even if a grant is approved, it may not be approved in the amount sought; any grant is subject to ratification by the Michigan State House and Senate, for which the outcome is uncertain; uncertainties in the timing of development of the Copperwood Project; changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; availability of services, materials and skilled labour to complete construction and operate the Copperwood Project; effects of regulation by governmental agencies; unexpected cost increases, which could include significant increases in estimated capital and operating costs and the effects of inflation; fluctuations in metal prices and currency exchange rates; construction and other delays, construction, operating and reclamation costs varying significantly from those estimated or projected, general market and industry conditions, and the risks set out in the Company's public disclosure documents filed on SEDARPlus. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking statements in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this press release are based on information available to the Company as of the date hereof, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by law.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
For further information or media requests, please contact:
Barry O'Shea, Interim CEO
Email: info@highlandcopper.com
Website: www.highlandcopper.com
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https://www.goldseiten.de/artikel/607448--Michigan-Economic-Development-Corporation-Proposes-50-Million-Grant-For-Highland-Coppers-Copperwood-Project.html
| 2024-01-31T23:59:38Z
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New Liverpool hero Conor Bradley left in sheer disbelief after match-winning performance in mauling of ChelseaPeter McVitieGettyConor BradleyLiverpoolLiverpool vs ChelseaPremier LeagueLiverpool starlet Conor Bradley felt like he was 'in a dream' after scoring his first senior goal as he put in an incredible display against Chelsea.Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowBradley was the star in Liverpool winGot his first senior goal for the RedsSpoke of 'dream' performance vs Chelsea
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https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/new-liverpool-hero-conor-bradley-disbelief-match-winning-performance-chelsea/blt3dbe90282b83a3c8
| 2024-01-31T23:59:38Z
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A look from Maui six months after devastating wildfires By Debbie Elliott Published January 31, 2024 at 3:39 PM MST Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 5:06 As we approach the six-month anniversary of the Maui fires, we look at the biggest issues that people on the island are still facing. Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.kanw.com/2024-01-31/a-look-from-maui-six-months-after-devastating-wildfires
| 2024-01-31T23:59:39Z
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The International Olympic Committee is still not impressed with Italy's determination to spend about $90 million rebuilding a historic bobsled track for the 2026 Winter Games.
The IOC's latest statement Wednesday on the public rift came one day after local organizers of the Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Olympics moved ahead with a plan to revive a century-old sliding track in the Dolomites ski resort.
Aiming to avoid construction costs and potential white elephant venues, the IOC wants the Winter Games, opening in just two years' time, to use an existing track — with two nearby options in St. Moritz, Switzerland and Igls, Austria.
The issue has become one of Italian national pride to avoid paying another country to stage 12 of the 116 medal events.
"The IOC firmly believes that the existing number of sliding centers, globally, is sufficient for the current number of athletes and competitions in the sports of bobsleigh, luge, and skeleton," the Olympic body said in a statement.
SEE MORE: Lions vs. 49ers draws larger TV audience than Chiefs vs. Ravens
The IOC's opposition to an Italian renewal project on such a tight schedule — either at Cortina or Cesana, the now-closed sliding track at the 2006 Turin Olympics that was previously considered — has been publicly clear since its annual meeting in October held in Mumbai, India.
"(Only) existing and already operating tracks should be considered due to the very tight timeline remaining," the IOC said in a statement, stating it had been "unequivocal that no permanent venue should be built without a clear and viable legacy plan."
Italy's deputy prime minister detailed his country’s position Tuesday.
"It is not acceptable for the bobsled races to take place outside Italy," Antonio Tajani said on X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. "We will do everything to achieve the goal."
Still, the Italian organizing committee aims to have a back-up plan if renovating the Cortina track used at the 1956 Winter Games is not ready by March next year.
The committee said after a board meeting Tuesday its plans rest on signing a contract with a Parma-based construction company that has offered to rebuild the Cortina track for $89 million.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com
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https://www.newschannel5.com/ioc-pushes-back-on-90m-plan-to-rebuild-olympics-bobsled-track
| 2024-01-31T23:59:39Z
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NPR National Correspondent Debbie Elliott can be heard telling stories from her native South. She covers the latest news and politics, and is attuned to the region's rich culture and history.
An engineer in Huntsville, Ala. is suing the defense contractor Parsons Corporation for discrimination, arguing he was fired for speaking his native Hindi language at work.
An engineer in Huntsville, Ala., is suing the defense contractor Parsons Corporation for discrimination, arguing he was fired for speaking his native Hindi language at work.
From NPR's Books We Love list, our staff recommends the cookbooks "Ed Mitchell's Barbeque," "Invitation to a Banquet," "The Secret of Cooking," "The Migrant Chef," and "Asada."
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https://www.wunc.org/2024-01-31/a-look-from-maui-six-months-after-devastating-wildfires
| 2024-01-31T23:59:39Z
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Saturday, January 27, 2024, 08:39
The UCAM is one of the institutions of the Camino de la Cruz Foundation, promoter of the Caravaca Jubilee Year 2024, and its permanent involvement has intensified and will continue to do so throughout the year, with pilgrimages, such as the one on February 10, or others, …
#Caravaca #Catholic #Church #Murcia #host #Convention #Holy #Cities #Christianity
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https://pledgetimes.com/caravaca-and-the-catholic-church-of-murcia-will-host-the-i-convention-of-holy-cities-of-christianity/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:38Z
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HBO has traditionally allowed the mercurial Larry David to decide whether or not there would be more seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but to Variety, he now says this is it.
At Tuesday night's Los Angeles red carpet premiere for the forthcoming 12th and final season, David acknowledged to the trade that he's said the show was over many times before.
"Yeah, I said it before. But I wasn't 76 when I said it," he noted.
The Seinfeld co-creator also expressed of the Emmy-winning show, "It's time. Twelve years, that's a lot for a television show -- over 24 years. It was time."
The series, which began in 1999 as a one-off mockumentary about David's alleged return to stand-up comedy, launched as a series in 2000.
HBO had always given David a wide berth to return for subsequent seasons at his leisure. For instance, there was a six-year gap between seasons eight and nine.
During its run, the show racked up 51 Emmy nominations with two wins, including an Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy in 2002.
Curb Your Enthusiasm's 12th season kicks off on Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and Max.
New episodes will debut subsequent Sundays at the same time, leading up to the series finale on April 7.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
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https://www.1033theeagle.com/entertainment/its-time-larry-david/VUYGNEKLMVKCRFOU4BHSRW4CUA/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:39Z
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NUCLEAR PROLIFERATIONA Non-Proliferation Solution: Using Antineutrinos to Surveil Nuclear Reactors
Antineutrinos generated in nuclear fission can be measured to remotely monitor the operation of nuclear reactors and verify that they are not being used to produce nuclear weapons, scientists report. Thanks to a newly developed method, it is now possible to estimate a reactor’s operation status, fuel burnup, and fuel composition based entirely on its antineutrino emissions. This technique could contribute massively to nuclear non-proliferation efforts and, in turn, safer nuclear energy.
Nuclear power constitutes an essential source of energy in many countries worldwide, including France, USA, China, and Japan, among others. While nuclear power plants have less environmental impact than coal power plants with regards to climate change, the technology employed in them can be used for undesirable purposes, namely the production of materials for nuclear weapons. Thus, nuclear reactors should be closely monitored to ensure that they are not being secretly used to create nuclear warfare.
Against this backdrop, a research team, including Assistant Professor Chikako Ishizuka, Ms. Sasaki Karen, and Professor Satoshi Chiba from Tokyo Institute of Technology in Japan, has been working toward a practical method to remotely monitor the operation of nuclear reactors. Their paper was published in the Journal of Nuclear Science and Technology on 24 November 2023.
The proposed approach is based around an elusive elementary particle that is generated abundantly during nuclear fission: the antineutrino. “Antineutrinos are particles with no electric charge. They interact with materials only via the weak interaction. Thus, their surrounding matter is nearly transparent to them, meaning that antineutrinos generated inside a reactor travel almost freely outside, where they can be detected,” explains Dr. Ishizuka. “In this manner, reactor antineutrinos can act as potential messengers for conveying information, such as the fissile material composition, to the outside world.”
The researchers first developed a computational scheme to derive the antineutrino spectra that would be emitted in nuclear fission reactions involving 235U, 238U, 239P, and 241P, which are the most common nuclear fuels. These calculations were based on the gross theory of beta decay, which was developed in the 1960s and refined over several decades, thanks to improvements in measurement techniques and nuclear data libraries. Notably, these antineutrino spectra represent the aggregate contributions from numerous decaying fission products, which are different for each fuel.
The team then compared the results of their calculations with the fission product yields of three representative nuclear data libraries, finding good agreement. Based on these favorable results, they proceeded to develop a novel methodology to identify specific fission products in antineutrino spectra measured over several days. This approach would enable one to remotely estimate the operational status, fuel burnup, and fuel composition, of a nuclear reactor.
Upon further examination using experimental data, the researchers found that their technique worked particularly well for light-water reactors, with slightly higher accuracy for uranium isotopes compared to plutonium ones. Thus, if this strategy can be refined and practically implemented, it could serve as a foundation for remote monitoring schemes for nuclear reactors. “Using the approach proposed in this study, it would be possible to confirm whether nuclear reactors are being operated as declared and verify that no undeclared fuel exchanges are taking place during reactor shutdowns,” highlights Dr. Ishizuka. “It can thus serve as a powerful tool for nuclear non-proliferation by preventing the manufacturing of materials for nuclear weapons in power plants.”
We certainly hope that this work contributes to safer nuclear energy and a world free from the threats of nuclear warfare!
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https://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20240131-a-nonproliferation-solution-using-antineutrinos-to-surveil-nuclear-reactors
| 2024-01-31T23:59:39Z
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Fed plans 'in-depth' talks on balance sheet run-off in March: Powell
By Michael S. Derby
NEW YORK, Jan 31 (Reuters) -
U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that officials have begun discussing what it would take for them to stop the ongoing run-off of the central bank's balance sheet.
Balance sheet run-off "has gone very well," Powell said at his press conference following the latest rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee meeting. He was referring to a process known as quantitative tightening, or QT, which involves the Fed allowing its holdings of cash and bonds to contract by way of allowing Treasury and mortgage bonds it owns to mature and not be replaced.
QT, which has seen the Fed shrink its holdings by over $1.3 trillion to $7.7 trillion, has run independently from the Fed's rate hike cycle but nevertheless complements it. And with rate cuts standing as the Fed's next likely move, many in markets have been expecting the central bank to wind down QT this year as well.
"We're getting to that time where questions are beginning to come into greater focus about the pace of run-off and all that," Powell said. "So at this meeting, we did have some discussion of the balance sheet, and we're planning to begin in-depth discussions of balance sheet issues at our next meeting in March."
The pace of debate pointed to by Powell suggests the QT effort could be in play for longer than many top Wall Street analysts had been expecting.
Going into this week's FOMC meeting, signs of a rapid pull-back in key measures of market liquidity had driven a number of analysts to argue the Fed would lay out the start of a formal plan to shutter the QT effort at the March meeting. Some even saw QT ending by summer.
The Fed is widely expected to slow at some point the speed at which it allows Treasury securities to run off the balance sheet, reducing the current cap of $60 billion. As the Fed wants to get back to an all government bond portfolio and has struggled to reach the $35 billion per month cap on the mortgage bond run-off, many expect the Fed to allow that type of contraction to continue even after QT ends.
Slowing the rundown is a prelude to stopping QT altogether, but some have argued that an earlier slowdown of QT could give the Fed more space to run the effort for longer. The Fed is trying to strip the market of excessive liquidity added in the response to the pandemic, and doesn't want to push QT too far lest it destabilize money market rates.
Many have looked to the Fed's reverse repo facility as a proxy for excessive liquidity and have argued that facility, which peaked at about $2.6 trillion on the final trading day of 2022 and was at $615.4 billion on Wednesday, will likely fall to zero before QT can stop. But Powell suggested that might not be right.
The correct level for the reverse repo facility is "not a decision that we've made," Powell said, adding "we wouldn't be taking a position it's got to go to zero."
(Reporting by Michael S. Derby; Editing by Leslie Adler and Andrea Ricci)
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-13030627/Fed-plans-depth-talks-balance-sheet-run-March-Powell.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:59:40Z
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Weekend Roundup: February 2-4
January 31, 2024At least one person shot during incident at intersection of MLK Blvd and Savanne
January 31, 2024Thibodeaux, La– Today, on Nicholls State University campus, Governor Jeff Landry announced that Gordy Dove will be the Chairman of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA), Glenn Ledet Jr. PE will be the Executive Director of CPRA, Tony Alford will be the Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission, Ben Bienvenu will be the Commissioner of Conservation, and Dustin Davidson will be the Chief of Staff for the Department of Natural Resources.
“I am honored to be appointed by Governor Landry as Chairman of CPRA—entrusted with Louisiana’s wetlands, bayous, coastline, marshes, barrier islands, levees, floodgates, etc. I will work to ensure that the projects are expeditiously and economically built and maintained for the people of Louisiana, for our future, and for our way of life for generations to come,” said Gordon E Dove.
“I am thrilled to join Governor Landry’s team, and I’m committed to advancing Coastal Protection and Restoration initiatives across South Louisiana. Together, we’ll shape resilient solutions, fostering environmental sustainability across the coast of our wonderful State,” said Glenn Ledet Jr. PE
“I appreciate the confidence the Governor has entrusted in me to be the new Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission. I look forward to rebuilding Louisiana’s coast as we have done and continue to do here at home (Terrebonne & Lafourche),” said Tony Alford.
“I am looking forward to working with Governor Landry’s administration by balancing conservation of our state’s precious natural resources with long term economic value creation for our communities, people, and industry partners. Value is created by a commensurate amount of risked-return and responsibility, because what is owned by no one is wasted by everyone,” said Benjamin Bienvenu.
“Throughout history, Louisiana has maintained a critical role in producing, refining, and exporting energy throughout the nation and the world while also hosting a diverse coastal ecosystem that makes the Florida Everglades look like a roadside petting zoo. Whether you’re a waterfowl hunter in Canada or Mexico, a farmer in Iowa, or a coal miner in Kentucky, your way of life wouldn’t be possible without the tremendous resources of our great state and the people who maintain and protect those resources. I am honored to have been chosen to serve under Secretary Gray and will continue to advocate for our state and the people that make life possible for millions around the world,” said Dustin Davidson.
Background:
Chairman of CPRA—Gordon E. Dove:
Gordy E. Dove was elected Louisiana State Representative from 2004 to 2016 where he served as Chairman of House Natural Resources and Environment Committee. He also served on the Coastal Protection & Restoration Authority in the House of Representatives. From 2016-2024 he served as the Terrebonne Parish President.
Executive Director of CPRA—Glenn Ledet Jr. PE
Glenn Ledet, Jr., PE, is the lead and Vice President on Water Resources and Coastal Market Sector at Neel-Schaffer, Inc., after more than a decade of Coastal Engineering experience, including key roles at Louisiana’s Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority. With a track record in project management and business development, Glenn’s focus spans habitat restoration, marsh creation, shoreline protection, hydrologic restoration. As Neel-Schaffer’s Executive Director for Coastal Science and Engineering, he leads impactful initiatives, contributing to the firm’s expansion throughout the Gulf and East Coast.
Chairman of the Governor’s Advisory Commission—Tony Alford:
Tony Alford has more than 35 years in the insurance industry, bringing his experience and expertise to the customers. He is one of the founders of the firm that has grown to become Alford & Associates Insurance Services LLC. For the past 20 years he has served as president of the Terrebonne Levee and Conservation District (TLCD), which builds flood protection in the parishes of Terrebonne and some in Lafourche. He has coordinated numerous projects with the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority (CPRA). He has also coordinated many projects with the Army Corps of Engineers. Tony is the past president of the South-Central Industrial Association (SCIA) and still a member of SCIA and Houma Terrebonne Chamber. Born and raised in Houma, he is a 1982 graduate of Terrebonne High School and attended Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Commissioner of Conservation—Ben Bienvenu:
Ben earned his bachelor’s degree in Petroleum Engineering then an MBA degree in Finance from LSU in the mid 90’s as well as his Professional Engineering License and later became President and owner of a Rockies-based operating company. Ben has enjoyed a diverse industry career beginning in 1989 that has taken him from early years of offshore platforms and rigs as drilling supervisor to strategic planning, corporate finance, acquisitions, consolidating global financial statements and performing sec reserves reporting and auditing for major energy corporations.
He has spearheaded new venture onshore shale exploration, evaluated, designed, and developed various economic and engineering aspects into deep water both domestic and foreign, been a regional asset manager for coastal development and abandonment cleanup projects, and touched on downstream domestic and international gasoline retail, pipeline, LNG and gas storage projects and facilities.
Chief of Staff for Louisiana Department of Natural Resources—Dustin Davidson:
Dustin most recently worked at Waterways Council Inc (WCI) where he played a critical role in helping to deliver funding to critical, large-scale infrastructure projects by working closely with Congress and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Most recently, he was involved in securing federal funding for transformational lock and dam modernization and advancing projects critical to increased flood protection to south Louisiana–while promoting waterborne commerce and ecosystem restoration through America’s vast inland waterways transportation system.
Prior to joining WCI, he was a professional staff member for the House of Representatives’ Select Committee on the Climate Crisis. At the same time, he served as a legislative assistant to Congressman Garret Graves (R-LA), focusing on energy, environment, agriculture and trade issues. Davidson was a Legislative Correspondent for former U.S. Senator David Vitter (R-LA) in 2016, and a staff assistant on the U.S. Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship in 2015. He is a graduate of Tulane University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a Minor in U.S. Public Policy. Dustin graduated from Metairie Park Country Day School in 2010.
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https://www.houmatimes.com/news/gov-jeff-landry-announces-new-appointments-at-press-conference-at-nicholls-state-university/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=gov-jeff-landry-announces-new-appointments-at-press-conference-at-nicholls-state-university
| 2024-01-31T23:59:39Z
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As Zhang returned home from work and stepped through the door of his house, the room was bathed in a gentle, gradually intensifying glow. When he prepared his supper, all he did was hitting a button on an intelligent steam oven. As he lied down on the bed, the air conditioner automatically set the temperature and airflow according to the data collected by his smart pillow, ensuring a comfortable rest during the night.
What brought this convenience to him was the smart home appliances manufactured by Haier, a multinational home appliances and consumer electronics company headquartered in Qingdao, east China's Shandong province, and this scene was exactly an epitome of the thriving intelligent home appliance industry in the city.
Qingdao is a major hub for advanced manufacturing in the home appliance industry. In recent years, there has been rapid growth in the number of companies involved in making higher-end, smarter, and more customized home appliance products and solutions.
Currently, there are over 2,200 such companies in the city, with 52 national-level research and development innovation centers and 17 national champions in manufacturing.
In a smart factory of Fisher & Paykel in Qingdao, motors were assembled and then shipped to a washing machine factory of Haier in the city.
Motor, a key component, is like the heart of a washing machine. As a company specialized in the making of home appliance motors, Fisher & Paykel has been a long-term component supplier for Haier. It set up a factory in Qingdao in 2015 under the assistance of Haier.
"This batch of motors all come with bar codes, which are their 'identity cards,'" said Wang Ziqiang, general manager of the washing machine factory of Haier.
"In the past, it cost a lot of time and energy to conduct full-process inspections for the goods from suppliers upon entering the factory," said Wang.
Relying on Haier's COSMOPlat industrial internet platform, Fisher & Paykel established a smart factory that enables massive and customized production based on customers' demands, he added.
All production data are visualized and accessible, which marked a digital upgrade of the quality assurance system, said Wang.
"With the assistance of Haier technicians, our production line has been optimized," said Sun Li, general manager of Fisher & Paykel Appliances (Qingdao) Co., Ltd.
Through this in-depth collaboration, Fisher & Paykel has reduced quality losses by 30 percent and increased the number of orders by 30 percent, according to Sun.
"This is an epitome of the synergy between the upstream and downstream sectors of the home appliance industry in Qingdao, "said an official with the Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology.
As the industry accelerates its clustering, chain owner enterprises play a leading role in connecting advantageous resources from both ends of the supply chain, driving the overall improvement in quality and efficiency for all companies along the chain, the offical said.
Control panel, as a key component of smart home appliances, used to be a weak link in the home appliance industrial chain in Qingdao.
"In the past, there was a lack of control panel manufacturers locally, so home appliance companies often had to purchase control panels from other places, resulting in high transportation costs and unstable supply," said Liu Dachuan, director of the Qingdao Municipal Bureau of Industry and Information Technology.
It was not just the control panel. In 2005, only less than 5 percent of the core components and electronic devices used in locally manufactured home appliances came from Qingdao suppliers.
To address this issue, Qingdao released an investment guidance catalog for key components of smart home appliances. The catalog highlights four major product categories and 18 subcategories as priorities for attracting investment.
Diehl Controls, an outstanding supplier of control systems in the global home appliance industry, has established Diehl Controls Qingdao subsidiary in the Qingdao Sino-German Ecopark, which provides control panels and other components for home appliance manufacturers such as Haier.
"Sincerity is the greatest attraction," said Lyu Zhenyu, director of the investment promotion office of the Qingdao Sino-German Ecopark, explaining the secret to attracting foreign investment.
"We provide full-lifecycle services, from initial planning and site selection to project construction and operation," Lyu added.
So far, Qingdao has attracted a group of key component manufacturing companies, significantly increasing the local supporting capability for core components and electronic devices.
In an exhibition hall of a national high-end intelligent home appliance innovation center in Laoshan district, Qingdao, a number of premium home appliance chips were on display.
In the past, China's domestic chip industry was not yet fully developed. In 2019, Haier, together with its upstream and downstream partners, jointly established the national high-end intelligent home appliance innovation center.
The goal of establishing this center is not to build "fast cars," but to build "highways," said Gui Zhihui, deputy general manager of the national high-end intelligent home appliance innovation center.
Previously, from chip design, manufacturing, packaging and testing to application, upstream and downstream enterprises were not well connected. The chip products themselves also lacked standards that met the needs of the home appliance industry, as well as authoritative testing.
"Many home appliance and chip companies would send their chips to us for testing," said Gui. "With the data we have collected, we gradually made standards that meet the needs of the home appliance industry. Along this 'highway,' the entire home appliance industry of Qingdao can move towards higher-end and more intelligent development."
"By proactively addressing the pain points in the industry, such as high-end scenario chips, the Qingdao home appliance industry provides users with smarter and more convenient services. We believe that in the future, your home will understand you better," Liu noted.
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https://www.alwihdainfo.com/Qingdao-in-E-China-s-Shandong-province-moves-towards-higher-end-of-home-appliance-industry_a129676.html
| 2024-01-31T23:59:40Z
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To say that Granblue Fantasy: Relink is a highly anticipated title is an understatement. Since its announcement in the distant memory that is 2016, the belief by fans that Cygames would deliver something special kept its flame alive even amidst multiple delays.
For that, it’s hard to describe how excited I was to dive into the full game and see for myself the fruit of almost a decade of work by its development team. But is Granblue Fantasy: Relink everything we hoped it would be, or did its tumultuous developing process affect the end product?
Welcome to Zegagrande
Set in the Zegagrande Skydom, Granblue Fantasy: Relink follows the crew of the Grandcypher —composed of The Captain, Lyria, Vyrn, Katalina, Rosetta, Io, Eugen, and Rackam — as they become the Sky’s only hope against the Church of Avia, an organization whose roots seem to sprout throughout the clouds.
Looking at it objectively, the game’s plot is extremely self-contained and feels similar to that of semi-canon movies featured within the universe of popular franchises. But that in no way harms its quality, as although predictable at certain times, the plot successfully highlights the charisma and depth of both the known and new faces of its cast while also delivering some emotional critical hits. The story beats only become more poignant when paired with the game’s excellent soundtrack and beautiful presentation, the latter of which managed to flawlessly bring the franchises’ characteristic style and impeccable character designs into the 3D realm.
If you are unfamiliar with the main cast of Granblue Fantasy, don’t worry, as Relink offers a brief introduction to the crew’s main goal and how The Captain crossed paths with Lyria in its prologue. You can also watch Fate Episodes for each playable character. Among the Fate Episodes, the first ones will always feature an overview of their stories, as well as what led them to join the crew.
The game also features a fairly comprehensive Glossary, which can be used during multiple cutscenes. If that’s not enough for you, it is also possible to check out more details regarding both the world and all of the characters featured in the game — no matter if they are friends or foes — by heading to Field Notes under Lyria’s Journal.
When it comes to exploration, Granblue Fantasy: Relink works similarly to games like Valkyrie Elysium by only allowing you to fully explore areas outside the game’s main hubs while in set story chapters. However, you will only be given the option to replay chapters to either hunt for missed items or complete combat challenges after completing the main campaign and reaching the post-game. Time-wise, I managed to complete the game’s main storyline and start digging into the post-game content in around 18 and a half hours while periodically doing quests, farming materials, and upgrading my main party accordingly.
Apart from the main crew, the game also allows you to take a wide array of non-main-story-related characters to the field, including fan favorites like Ferry, Cagliostro, and Percival. To add to that, all of them have story-related lines while exploring and facing certain bosses. That helps in keeping the feeling of immersion alive and gives the main story an extra replayability factor. I found myself replaying certain chapters multiple times just to see what my favorite characters had to say.
If you were wondering, all of the game’s cutscenes have variants for both the male and female versions of The Captain (Grand and Djeeta), so no favorites here. You can also freely switch between them during your campaign, as well as change their names.
Questing is the Name of The Game
Apart from its main storyline, the main focus of Relink lies undeniably in completing quests, as they are the main way in which you will earn EXP and get access to upgrade materials for both your weapons and sigils. The game features a massive amount of quests, which are divided into two types — the side quests found within the hubs and the quests available at the Quest Counter. While the side quests will, in most cases, task you with gathering set items, the Counter Quests can vary from survival-focused ones to boss battles against some of the game’s mightiest foes.
Although I’m a firm believer of the more-the-merrier philosophy when it comes to side quests, the large number of them also ended up highlighting how they lack that personal touch we would expect of a game as grand as Granblue Fantasy Relink’s scope. That, when paired with how all non-story-related or mechanic-oriented NPCs are unable to interact with the party, adds up to the side quests feeling more like a means to an end than anything else.
As advertised during the game’s promotional campaign, you can also face all of the quests available at the quest counter with up to three other players, each using their character of choice. Honestly, I had a blast, as being in perfect sync with your party does elevate the experience, especially in battles that require each player to fill a specific role. The game’s ranking system, which grades your team’s performance after each quest, also pushes you to reattempt them for a chance to improve your score and get all of the available rewards.
If you plan on playing mostly solo, the AI for the companions in Granblue Fantasy Relink was a massive surprise to me and an absolute highlight. Given their abilities to spam perfect dodges and stay mostly well-placed when in boss battles, they made me repeatedly feel like the worst member of my party when the subjects were facing multi-hit attacks or AoE sure-to-kill moves.
Let’s Talk Combat and Progression
In true Action RPG fashion, Granblue Fantasy Relink features a highly responsive, fun, and rewarding combat system rooted in staying quick on your feet and mastering your character of choice. In it, each of the members of your party can perform multiple character-exclusive combos, as well as use up to four exclusive Skills and four different recovery items while on the field. You can unlock new skills, increase each character’s stats, and add passives to them by unlocking Mastery nodes.
You can also add different passives to your characters by equipping them with set Sigils and Weapons, all of which can be enhanced for a greater effect and add even more to the game’s already great range of possible builds.
All characters in the field can also perform devastating Skybound Arts during battles. After different characters perform their Skybound Arts in sequence, they will then automatically perform either a Chain or a Full Burst Attack, the latter of which deals devastating damage. Lastly, the ability to stun enemies can be seen as the main cornerstone of the Relink combat experience, as doing so allows you and your companions to fill the party’s Link Gauge by performing highly damaging Link Attacks and eventually trigger Link Time for an opportunity to deal massive damage.
Although I was disappointed to learn that you cannot direct CPU party members like you can in games like Tales of Arise, you can set them to only use Skybound Arts against certain targets, as well as choose to either let them use the attacks freely or only after you perform yours for a guaranteed Full Burst.
Looking at the game’s bosses, even if some may argue that they lack in variety (which they indeed do), many of them surprised me by offering truly unique — and above all else exciting — experiences where changing your game plan mid-battle is vital to your success. On a bittersweet note, I feel that it was a missed opportunity not to include some of the franchises’ biggest foes as optional bosses at release.
The Verdict
Although the lack of an open world may disappoint those who were hoping to explore the many islands part of Zegagrande freely, Granblue Fantasy: Relink delivers an extremely polished experience featuring beautiful visuals, an exhilarating combat system, an intricate character progression system, a solid single-player campaign, an inviting multiplayer, and a wide array of both quests and different playable characters sure to keep you around even after completing its storyline.
This game was reviewed using a copy of the game provided by the game's publisher,public relations company, developer or other for the express purpose of a review.
- This article was updated on January 31st, 2024
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https://attackofthefanboy.com/reviews/granblue-fantasy-relink-review-brave-the-skies/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:42Z
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JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi could allow Medicaid coverage earlier in pregnancy in an effort to improve health outcomes for mothers and babies in a poor state with the nation's worst rate of infant mortality.
With wide bipartisan support, the state House passed a bill Wednesday to allow up to 60 days of “presumptive eligibility” for Medicaid, starting July 1. This means a pregnant woman's outpatient medical care would be paid by Medicaid as her application for coverage by the government insurance program is being considered.
Processing Medicaid applications can take weeks, and physicians say early prenatal care is important.
House Medicaid Committee Chairwoman Missy McGee of Hattiesburg pointed out that Mississippi has high rates of fetal mortality, infant mortality and maternal mortality.
“I think this will go a long way in helping moms and babies be healthy ... and give babies the best shot for a healthy life," McGee said.
Mississippi ranks worst in the U.S. for infant mortality, with Black infants nearly twice as likely as white ones to die over the past decade, according to a report unveiled Jan. 18 by the state Department of Health.
Presumptive Medicaid eligibility during pregnancy would be based on questions about income, asked by health care providers such as employees of county health departments. If a woman's Medicaid application is ultimately rejected because her income is too high, Medicaid would still pay health care providers for services they provided during the time of presumptive eligibility.
McGee said presumptive eligibility could cost the Medicaid program just under $600,000 a year.
Medicaid is funded by federal and state governments, with the federal government paying at least 50% of costs in all states and a higher share in poorer states. The federal government pays for nearly 77% of Medicaid expenses in Mississippi.
In Mississippi, Medicaid coverage for pregnant women 19 and older is based on income. A woman who is in that age category and has no dependents can earn up to about $29,000 and qualify for Medicaid during pregnancy. A pregnant woman in that age category who has three dependents can earn up to $59,700 and qualify.
Mississippi Medicaid coverage is available to all income levels for those who are pregnant and younger than 19.
Democratic Rep. John Hines Sr. of Greenville said earlier eligibility for Medicaid coverage during pregnancy could help the state in recruiting OB-GYNs.
“Where we are right now is that we are last in everything," Hines said. "This is a step toward making Mississippi a better place.”
The bill passed the House 117-5. It moves to the Senate for more work in coming weeks. Republicans control both chambers.
About 41% of births in the U.S. and 57% in Mississippi were financed by Medicaid in 2022, according to the health policy research group KFF. Only Louisiana had a larger share of births covered by Medicaid that year, at 61%.
In 2023, Mississippi extended postpartum Medicaid coverage from two months to a full year, with Republican Gov. Tate Reeves saying the change was part of a “new pro-life agenda” to help mothers in a state where abortion is tightly restricted.
____
Associated Press/Report For America reporter Michael Goldberg contributed to this report.
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https://www.wsls.com/health/2024/01/31/mississippi-eyes-quicker-medicaid-coverage-in-pregnancy-to-try-to-reduce-deaths-of-moms-and-babies/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:42Z
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Civil rights activist Brenda Dash was a leader of the 1969 occupation of Sir George Williams University, a historic student protest sparked by the university’s failure to adequately address anti-Black racism on campus. Ms. Dash, who acted as a spokesperson for the students, was arrested and held for weeks, refusing bail on principle.
A Black Canadian with a significant following during the protest, she went on to play a prominent role in the racial politics of 1960s and 70s Montreal, a turbulent era when the Black Panthers were ascendant in the United States and when Black Canadians were coming to grips with the experience of racism in this country. Ms. Dash’s commitment and uncompromising conviction helped build a social and political Black consciousness in Canada and the Black diaspora, though her public profile diminished over the years and her life story is not widely known.
Ms. Dash died at the age of 78 at Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas, Nev., on Nov. 29, after a long battle with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Brenda Cheryl Dickinson-Dash was born on Aug. 13, 1945, and raised in Montreal’s Little Burgundy neighbourhood, a predominantly Black community, by parents who had immigrated from Trinidad and Tobago. Her father, Marcus Dash, worked as a porter with Canadian Pacific Railway and helped organize the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in Canada; her mother, Maisie Dickinson-Dash, was active in the city’s Coloured Women’s Club. Brenda attended secondary school in Montreal and later, Sir George Williams University and McGill University.
In an interview for a special issue of the journal Topia about the 50th anniversary of the Sir George Williams University student protest, Ms. Dash recalled that her parents helped shape the development of her Black consciousness around social justice: “My parents’ activism did influence my view of the world. My father was very persistent in telling me and my … siblings that we had to apply ourselves to our education because we were Black and that would be held against us. So, in order to compete in the world, we had to be better than the others.”
Her father’s words proved to be prophetic when several Black and Caribbean students at Montreal’s Sir George Williams University (now Concordia University) reported in 1968 that their biology instructor had been discriminating against them. The university mishandled its response to the complaints, and Ms. Dash was among a group who occupied the university’s ninth-floor computer centre and seventh-floor faculty lounge for two weeks in protest.
“We believed that we were participating [like so many others around the world at that time] in a good and just cause, because our participation would ultimately change the world against discrimination and racism,” Ms. Dash said in the interview.
Ms. Dash was there on the fateful morning of Feb. 11, when the university administration called in the police even though the students believed an agreement had been reached to re-examine the racism allegations. A mysterious fire began in the computer centre that students were occupying, leading them to use an emergency axe to escape. Police officers who were waiting on the other side arrested 97 of them, including Ms. Dash. The computer centre was destroyed, causing $2-million in damage.
The deceptive tactics used, arrests and negative portrayals of the protesters in the Canadian media all contributed to galvanizing the protesters into a strong and cohesive group of young people prepared to fight, Ms. Dash said.
She spent weeks in prison and refused to take bail when it was eventually offered to her. She famously told her older brother, Mervyn, who had arrived to bail her out: “I won’t take bail until we all get it.” She was convinced that separating the students would divert them from their cause, so when her brother asked if she was crazy, she said, “Call me crazy, but I’ll stay.”
Many of the students were eventually advised to plead guilty and accept plea deals. Ms. Dash, however, refused to do so, along with Roosevelt (Rosie) Douglas (who was eventually deported to his native Dominica and went on to serve as that country’s prime minister), and Anne Cools (who later became a Canadian senator). As a result, the three became visible and vocal figures associated with the protest.
Looking back, Ms. Dash said: “Either the three of us should have been found guilty, or not guilty. You can’t have one of us guilty, one of us sort of guilty, one of us not guilty. Despite this, Rosie [Douglas] was given a little less than a two-year sentence, Anne received a six-month sentence, and I was fined. That is what happened – Canadian justice!”
Ms. Dash said this resistance helped define the movement. The students, even when held in jail awaiting bail, were feared by prison guards for their revolutionary posture. The spirit of the civil rights era was conspicuously present.
The Sir George Williams occupation was part of the broader Black Power movement, the full effects of which are underdocumented in Canada.
“We, the students and the Sir George affair, had by then become a hot topic in North America. There were always a lot of reporters coming around or calling to speak to us,” Ms. Dash said.
Her interaction with the judicial system was an eye-opener, she said, that inspired her lifelong commitment to social justice.
She and other Sir George Williams student activists went on speaking tours, determined to correct media misrepresentations that dubbed the protest “a radical riot.” They went to Toronto, Ottawa and Halifax, where they met with the Black activist Burnley (Rocky) Jones, and to the United States, where they met with Black Power organizers such as Kwame Ture (Stokely Carmichael), and the Reverend Jesse Jackson. They took part in marches, spoke out about the unfair treatment of Black students in Canada, and made common alliances. Ms. Dash was a firebrand public speaker who caught the attention of police and intelligence services.
Like many others who had participated in the 1969 protest, Ms. -Dash was heavily affected by her involvement in the event. Historian David Austin suggests that the Canadian state security apparatus took a special interest in monitoring Ms. Dash as a “Black Power radical.”
In the 1970s, she was frequently, in her words, “rounded up,” and jailed for participating in Black Power events or during security scares, including those caused by Front de libération du Québec.
“We would meet every week at the Universal Negro Improvement Association’s headquarters, where we would discuss ideas, our strategies, and activities,” Ms. Dash recalled. “We became part of a movement which was referred to as the Black Power movement. This movement was gaining momentum and becoming very strong, because there [was] lots of different and intense organizing taking place.”
The activism of Black students in Montreal also sparked protests in key Caribbean cities against Canadian imperialism. And following the 1969 Sir George Williams occupation, Ms. Dash, Yvonne Greer, and others started Uhuru, an important Black community newspaper, based in Montreal, that circulated in Canada and the United States (through the diaspora), providing an important alternative source of news. The work of Ms. Dash, and others, had far and wide-reaching impact.
When she left Canada in the mid-1970s in search of possibilities she felt she could not access in her home country, she initially had difficulty obtaining a green card to work in the U.S. because she had a misdemeanour on her record related to her involvement with the protest. (She eventually received a pardon.)
In her professional life, Ms. Dash left her mark in the music industry. After resettling in the United States, she embarked on a trailblazing career managing award-winning artists such as singer/songwriters Brenda Russell and Regina Belle, and the acclaimed hip-hop group Digable Planets, among others.
Ms. Dash was predeceased by her parents and brother Mervyn. She leaves her sisters, Beryl and Veronica; and her brother, Randolph. Ms. Dash was married twice, first to musician Eric Mercury and later to Kenneth Collins. Both marriages ended in divorce. She never had children.
In 2019, Ms. Dash returned to Montreal to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Sir George Williams protest for a two-week commemorative program of activities organized by a research collective including Concordia faculty and staff, activists and Black community members. She offered the following reflection: “All we started out to do was get six students fair grades from one professor. We had no idea that it would mushroom into this gigantic thing that changed all our lives forever.”
You can find more obituaries from The Globe and Mail here.
To submit a memory about someone we have recently profiled on the Obituaries page, e-mail us at obit@globeandmail.com.
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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-montreal-activist-brenda-dickinson-dash-took-a-stand-in-historic/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:42Z
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It’s been another week, and Steamship Authority officials are still uncertain what is causing the technical glitches behind its online reservation system.
The Steamship had originally planned to open the general summer reservation season for the Vineyard route on Jan. 19, but officials said they would delay the rollout while the glitches are addressed.
The ferry line has struggled over the past several years on the day when thousands of travelers try to make their summer plans, and overload the system.
Vineyard representative to the Steamship board James Malkin said that the issues surrounding the reservation system underscore the poor IT infrastructure the ferry line has relied on, which was built in-house.
“There are a myriad of technical issues,” Malkin said. “The Steamship’s IT infrastructure has been held together through hard work of individuals, but it is badly in need of reassembling and rebooting.”
Malkin said that a new system should be built by an outside company with expertise in the appropriate applications.
“We’re not a technology company, we’re a ferry line,” Malkin said.
This year, the tech problems started with the Headstart program in early January, which is an opportunity for locals to make vehicle reservations before visitors. Users then reported glitches and long wait times, echoing issues of previous years.
As of Wednesday, the Steamship has yet to announce a new date for when the season will open for summer reservations. Malkin said that the Steamship is still trying to figure out what has gone wrong with the booking system before opening it.
The one bright side, Malkin said, is that Islanders have been able to book their reservations through the Headstart program.
The openings of summer vehicle reservations for Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard had been scheduled for Jan. 23 and Jan. 30, respectively.
SSA general manager Robert B. Davis said in a statement earlier this month they were investigating issues surrounding the technical problems. Davis said the delay will allow the SSA to conduct more testing, and work out technical problems that were present during the Headstart rollout.
“Each year our IT team takes preparing for these days very seriously, and they have been hard at work for several weeks, performing multiple load tests of our reservation process, and testing our waiting-room product,” Davis is quoted in a release sent out by the Steamship Authority Friday afternoon. “That preparation did not indicate there would be any issues for this week’s reservation openings.
“I want to be completely sure we have identified and addressed any remaining issues before we make the decision to open reservations,” Davis continued. “These reservation opening days are the start of our customers’ summertime journey with us, and we always strive to make it as smooth a process as possible. We look forward to announcing new opening dates to our customers as soon as possible.”
During the Headstart rollout earlier this month, the Steamship did respond to complaints about tech issues with the reservation system.
“Upon further investigation and review, the Steamship Authority’s IT team, along with the assistance of system vendors, have determined today’s booking issues were related to connectivity issues on a subset of our web servers,” the update read. “We believe the issue has been resolved, and we believe the booking process is now running normally. Additional testing of the servers will be done overnight, and senior management will review the results Friday and determine what additional steps, if any, need to be taken prior to the general openings.”
The following day, the SSA announced the delay of summer reservations.
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https://www.mvtimes.com/2024/01/31/ssa-still-probing-tech-problems/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:41Z
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Laws on abortion are out of step with public opinion. One Republican legislator in Tennessee is working to establish exceptions to his state's strict abortion laws, but he faces a tough battle.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Laws on abortion are out of step with public opinion. One Republican legislator in Tennessee is working to establish exceptions to his state's strict abortion laws, but he faces a tough battle.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2024-01-31/a-tennessee-lawmaker-helped-pass-a-strict-abortion-law-hes-now-trying-to-loosen-it
| 2024-01-31T23:59:44Z
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Broadway star Hinton Battle, who played the original Scarecrow at the 1978 "The Wiz", has died at 67. He was a three-time Tony Award winner.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Broadway star Hinton Battle, who played the original Scarecrow at the 1978 "The Wiz", has died at 67. He was a three-time Tony Award winner.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.kyuk.org/2024-01-31/broadway-legend-hinton-battle-who-originally-played-scarecrow-in-the-wiz-has-died
| 2024-01-31T23:59:44Z
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Vortex Energy Announces Further Extension of Marketing Campaign
VANCOUVER, Jan. 31, 2024 - Vortex Energy Corp. (CSE: VRTX | OTC: VTECF | FRA: AA3) ("Vortex" or the "Company") is pleased to announce, further to its news release on January 10, 2024, that it has extended its engagement of Financial Star News Inc. ("FSN") (address: 701 West Georgia Street, Suite 1500, Vancouver, British Columbia V7Y 1C6; email: info@thefinancialstar.com) for marketing services during the month of February, commencing February 1, 2024, provided that the term of the marketing services may be extended or shortened at the discretion of management depending on, amongst other things, the efficiency of the marketing services.
As previously disclosed, FSN has and shall continue to, as appropriate, create campaigns, ad groups, text ads, display ads, perform detailed keyword research, setup and manage remarketing campaigns, optimize keyword options, coordinate online advertisers and marketers corresponding to online marketing targets, create landing pages for ad campaigns and generally bring attention to the business of the Company. The promotional activity undertaken by FSN will occur on a http:///www.theFinancialStar.com landing page, and via Google ads and native advertising.
The Company will pay a fee of USD $250,000 (plus GST) for the extension. The Company will not issue any securities to FSN as compensation for its marketing services. As of the date hereof, to the Company's knowledge, FSN (including its directors and officers) does not own any securities of the Company and has an arm's length relationship with the Company.
About Vortex Energy Corp.
Vortex Energy Corp. is an exploration stage company engaged principally in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in North America. The company is currently advancing its Robinson River Salt Project comprised of a total of 942 claims covering 23,500 hectares located approximately 35 linear kms south of the town of Stephenville in the Province of Newfoundland & Labrador. The Robinson River Salt Project is prospective for both salt and hydrogen salt cavern storage. The company is actively evaluating technologies to efficiently store hydrogen or energy in salt caverns. Vortex Energy Corp. also holds the Fire Eye Project, which is located in the Wollaston Domain of northern Saskatchewan, Canada.
On Behalf of the Board of Directors
Paul Sparkes
Chief Executive Officer, Director
+1 (778) 819-0164
info@vortexenergycorp.com
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements contained in this press release constitute forward-looking information. These statements relate to future events or future performance. The use of any of the words "could", "intend", "expect", "believe", "will", "projected", "estimated" and similar expressions and statements relating to matters that are not historical facts are intended to identify forward-looking information and are based on the Company's current beliefs or assumptions as to the outcome and timing of such future events. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking information relating to, among other things, the expected term of the marketing activities contracted for by the Company.
Various assumptions or factors are typically applied in drawing conclusions or making the forecasts or projections set out in forward-looking information, including, in respect of the forward-looking information included in this press release, assumptions regarding the efficacy of the Company's marketing program and the Canadian Securities Exchange's acceptance of the Company's promotional program.
Although forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions of the Company's management, there can be no assurance that any forward-looking information will prove to be accurate. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include, among other things, the risk that the Company's marketing program may not be as effective as anticipated by the Company and that the budget for the Company's marketing program may not be sufficient to permit the marketing activities to continue for the anticipated term and that the Canadian Securities Exchange may object to the Company's promotional program and use its discretion to halt the Company's promotional activities or impose other penalties on the Company. The forward-looking information contained in this release is made as of the date hereof, and the Company not obligated to update or revise any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by applicable securities laws. Because of the risks, uncertainties and assumptions contained herein, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The foregoing statements expressly qualify any forward-looking information contained herein.
The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed, approved, or disapproved the contents of this press release.
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https://www.goldseiten.de/artikel/607449--Vortex-Energy-Announces-Further-Extension-of-Marketing-Campaign.html
| 2024-01-31T23:59:44Z
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A drone attack on a U.S. military base in Jordan has put paramilitary groups in the region backed by Iran back in the spotlight.
This is after months of probing attacks by these groups against different U.S. bases in Iraq, Syria and Jordan.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq — an umbrella group made up of various Iran-backed paramilitary groups operating in Iraq — has released more than 40 videos since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, showing attempted attacks against U.S. bases in the region.
The vast majority of these videos show the armed groups launching drones from various locations, mostly at night to more easily avoid detection.
While the Pentagon says it's still investigating, these are believed to be the same kinds of drones used in this most recent attack, which left three U.S. soldiers dead and many more wounded.
The Islamic Resistance took credit for multiple attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq, Syria and Jordan the same day as the deadly Jordan attack — including what they called Al-Rukban Base, another name for the U.S. base in Jordan.
The Islamic Resistance in Iraq is not the only group in the region that's backed by Iran and has shown hostility to U.S. forces, however.
A recent analysis from the Council on Foreign Relations put the number of notable Iran-backed groups in the region at 12, with the majority of them being in Syria and Iraq — countries where the U.S. has a large military footprint.
Those in Iraq include forces like Kataib Hezbollah, a paramilitary force also closely aligned with Iran.
SEE MORE: Iran threatens to respond to any US strikes following Jordan attack
While this group has not publicly claimed any attacks against the U.S. since the Israel-Hamas war started, an analysis from The Washington Institute for Near East Policy said it's highly likely the group is operating under the Islamic Resistance in Iraq umbrella.
When a U.S. strike killed a fighter affiliated with the Islamic Resistance in Iraq in November, he was identified as both being part of Kataib Hezbollah as well as part of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq.
Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh said during a press briefing that it's this same group that the U.S. suspects was responsible for the recent strike in Jordan.
"In terms of attribution for the attack, we know this is an IRGC-backed militia. It has the footprints of Kataib Hezbollah, but not making a final assessment on that. Our teams here are continuing to do the analysis but we know that Iran is behind it," said Singh.
There are plenty of other Iran-aligned groups in Syria that U.S. forces have to be wary of as well.
Groups in Syria have mostly focused on limited attacks on al-Tanf, a U.S. base in southern Syria meant to support local Syrian opposition forces and deny Iran access to a strategic route to Damascus.
American forces in both al-Tanf as well as at bases in northeastern Syria have recently been targeted by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq group.
While the Pentagon says Sunday's attack on U.S. troops in Jordan is the first attack in that country since the Israel-Hamas War began, the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has made at least three additional claims that they attacked what they say is the U.S. base at Rukban.
So far, Iran has denied having any involvement in the Jordan base attack, saying regional groups do not take orders from Iran.
Trending stories at Scrippsnews.com
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https://www.newschannel5.com/iran-backed-militia-groups-continue-to-attack-us-troops-in-middle-east
| 2024-01-31T23:59:45Z
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Tottenham x UFC?! Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou makes bizarre MMA threat after bad-tempered victory over BrentfordJames HunsleyGetty ImagesTottenham HotspurPremier LeagueAnge PostecoglouNeal MaupayTottenham Hotspur vs BrentfordBrentfordBrennan JohnsonAnge Postecoglou challenged his Tottenham players to sort out their differences with Brentford in a UFC ring after a full-blooded win on Wednesday.Article continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowArticle continues belowSpurs and Brentford in heated clashNorth London side prevail 3-2Postecoglou makes UFC comment
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https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/tottenham-ufc-spurs-boss-ange-postecoglou-bizarre-mma-threat-bad-tempered-victory-brentford/blt461ce8ae5451caa2
| 2024-01-31T23:59:45Z
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Broadway legend Hinton Battle, who originally played Scarecrow in 'The Wiz', has died By Megan Lim, Tinbete Ermyas Published January 31, 2024 at 3:39 PM MST Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 1:59 Broadway star Hinton Battle, who played the original Scarecrow at the 1978 "The Wiz", has died at 67. He was a three-time Tony Award winner. Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.kanw.com/2024-01-31/broadway-legend-hinton-battle-who-originally-played-scarecrow-in-the-wiz-has-died
| 2024-01-31T23:59:45Z
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Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2024-01-31/as-israel-resumes-bombing-in-the-north-thousands-of-gazans-face-desperate-conditions
| 2024-01-31T23:59:46Z
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Andean Precious Metals Files NI 43-101 Technical Report for Golden Queen Mining's Soledad Mountain Operation
(All amounts are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise stated)
Toronto, January 31, 2024 - Andean Precious Metals Corp. (TSXV: APM) (OTCQX: ANPMF) ("Andean" or the "Company") is pleased to announce updated mineral reserve and mineral resource estimates ("MR&RE") for its wholly owned subsidiary, Golden Queen Mining LLC, which operates the Soledad Mountain mine and heap leach operation in Kern County, Southern California.
The MR&RE and Feasibility Study Update Technical Report on the Soledad Mountain Heap Leach Project, dated January 12, 2024 (the "Technical Report"), were prepared by Kappes, Cassiday & Associates ("KCA"), Independent Mining Consultants Inc. ("IMC"), RESPEC Company LLC ("RESPEC") and George Klemmick (AIPG Certified Professional Geologist, Consulting Geologist). The Technical Report was prepared in compliance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards for Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") and has been filed on SEDAR+.
"We are pleased that the mineral reserve and resource estimates for Soledad Mountain fully met our base case expectations," stated Alberto Morales, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Andean. "With an updated mineral reserve and resource in hand, our team is focused on enhancing and growing the recently acquired Soledad Mountain mine. We are now identifying near-term and sustainable opportunities to optimize mine operations and production to improve margins, cash flow and costs per ounce. We are also defining and prioritizing exploration targets to help realize the potential upside at Soledad Mountain and add to the operation's life of mine."
"We see many opportunities at Soledad Mountain and look forward to realizing the project's potential to be a growth catalyst in the US, one of the world's leading mining jurisdictions."
Soledad Mountain MR&RE Highlights
- Gold ("Au")
- M&I resources of 41.8 M tonnes grading 0.62 grams per tonne ("g/t") Au for a total of 822,000 contained oz
- P&P reserves of 21.0 M tonnes grading 0.72 g/t Au for a total of 484,675 contained oz
- Inferred resources of 3.6 M tonnes grading 0.45 g/t for a total of 53,000 contained oz
Silver ("Ag")
- M&I resources of 41.8 M tonnes grading 8.37 g/t Ag for a total of 11.24 M contained oz
- P&P reserves of 21.0 M tonnes grading 10.15 g/t Ag for a total of 6.85 M contained oz
- Inferred resources of 3.6 M tonnes grading 6.27 g/t Ag for a total of 0.73 M contained oz
* Mineral resources are inclusive of reserves. See Appendix for further tables and notes.
- Life of mine (LOM): Five years from 2P mineral reserves.
- LOM average annual production: Up to 65 koz of gold and 466 Koz of silver.
- Total production: 373 Koz Au and 2.7 Moz Ag.
- Stripping ratio: 6.09:1 (waste tons: ore tons).
- Sustaining capital cost: $55.9 million.
- Project pre-tax and after-tax net present values of $116 million and $102 million, respectively, at a discount rate of 5% with a gold price of $1,850/oz and a silver price of $24/oz.
- While stacking ore stops in 2029, work is expected to continue at site for approximately 35-40 years via the sale of waste rock for aggregate, construction and landscape material in the regional area.
Soledad Mountain MR&RE Changes Since 2022
Since 2022, the reported reserves and resources have dropped slightly due to depletion by mining and to a lesser extent due to a lower estimated recovery from the Silver Queen vein structure, which is one of the many mineralized vein zones on the property. The recovery change reflects production experience and new column leach tests. Production depletion was partially offset by higher metal price assumptions used in the estimation of mineral resources and reserves.
In terms of economics, an increase in mine sustaining capital was incorporated into the Technical Report to improve mining costs as compared to those in prior studies.
Mineral Resource Estimate Methodology
The estimates of mineral resources are effective as of September 30, 2023 and are presented in Appendix - Table 1 of this press release.
The gold and silver resources were modeled and estimated by:
- evaluating the drill data statistically and spatially to determine natural gold and silver populations;
- explicitly modeling low-, medium-, and high-grade mineral-domain polygons for both gold and silver on sets of cross sections spaced at 50- and 100-ft intervals;
- projecting the cross-sectional mineral domain polygons horizontally to the drill data within each cross-sectional window;
- slicing the three-dimensionally projected mineral domain polygons along 20 foot-spaced horizontal planes and using them to guide refinement of the gold and silver mineral domain polygons on a set of 20 foot-spaced level plans;
- coding a block model comprised of 20 x 20 x 20 ft blocks to the gold and silver mineral domains for each of the two deposit areas using the level plan mineral domain polygons;
- analyzing the modeled mineralization geostatistically to aid in the establishment of estimation and classification parameters; and
- interpolating gold and silver grades into the block model by inverse-distance to the third power, using the coded gold and silver mineral domain percentages to constrain the grade estimations.
Mineral Reserves Estimate Methodology
The estimates of mineral reserves are effective as of September 30, 2023, and are presented in Appendix - Table 2 of this press release.
The following process and modifying factors were followed to calculate the mineral reserves:
- Selection of metal selling prices based on historical and projected prices.
- Review of all modifying factors including metal prices, costs, dilution, mining recovery, processing recovery, sustaining capital, royalties, and mining methods.
- Dilution is built into the model and no additional dilution is required.
- Pit optimization using all modifying factors.
- Pit design following geotechnical recommendations.
- Mine production schedules for the life of the project, based on a combination of monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual periods.
- Cost model verification based on new mine schedule and inventory.
- Generation of post-tax cash flow.
Capital and Operating Cost Estimates
The Soledad Mountain project has been in operation since early 2016 providing almost eight years of historical operating data for the site. Future mining and processing at the site have recently increased due to recent improvements in operation. The historical data and experience of the site personnel will provide the best estimate of future costs.
The heap leach pad has been expanded to its final size. The capital costs are summarized as:
Total Sustaining Capital
The capital costs are sustaining costs to rebuild and replace equipment and to replace the Merrill Crowe plant with a carbon adsorption circuit at closure.
Operating Cost Summary
The columns may not sum exactly due to rounding.
The operating costs are estimated to average $23.66 per ton, including mining, processing, G&A and reclamation.
After-tax Cash Flow Analysis
The Soledad Mountain project has pre-tax and after-tax net present values of $116 million and $102 million, respectively, at a discount rate of 5.0%. The undiscounted, cumulative net cash flows for pre-tax and after-tax are approximately $145 million and $129 million, respectively. By comparison, at an 8.0% discount rate, the pre-tax and after-tax NPVs are $102 million and $89 million, respectively. Project cash flows are from October 1, 2023 through to the end of 2030.
The contribution of gold, silver and aggregate to gross revenues is approximately 91.2%, 8.6% and 0.2% respectively. The operating equivalent gold cash cost per ounce is $1,340/oz. The total cash costs per equivalent ounce including sustaining capital is $1,477/oz. Gold and silver prices used to model the cash flows were $1,850/oz and $24/oz, respectively.
The Soledad Mountain project is expected to generate positive cash flow in each year of production except 2026.
Qualified Persons
The following people served as the Qualified Persons for Golden Queen's Soledad Mountain operation as defined in NI 43-101 and have reviewed and approved this press release:
- Carl E. Defilippi, SME Registered Member, Engineering Manager, KCA, Reno NV
. - Michael M. Gustin, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist, RESPEC Principal Consultant.
- Joseph C. McNaughton, PE, Partner, IMC, Tucson AZ.
- George Klemmick, AIPG Certified Professional Geologist, Consulting Geologist, Chugiak, AK.
Donald J. Birak, Registered Member, Society for Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration (SME) and Fellow, Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy (AusIMM), is the Independent Consulting Geologist to the Company, and a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101.
About Andean Precious Metals
Andean is a growing precious metals producer focused on expanding into top-tier jurisdictions in the Americas. The Company owns and operates the San Bartolomé processing facility in Potosí, Bolivia and the Soledad Mountain mine in Kern County, California, and is well-funded to act on future growth opportunities. Andean's leadership team is committed to creating value; fostering safe, sustainable and responsible operations; and achieving our ambition to be a multi-asset, mid-tier precious metals producer.
For more information, please contact:
Trish Moran
VP Investor Relations
tmoran@andeanpm.com
T: +1 416 564 4290
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange, Inc. nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
Caution Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Certain statements and information in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable U.S. securities laws and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws, which we refer to collectively as "forward-looking statements". Forward-looking statements are statements and information regarding possible events, conditions or results of operations that are based upon assumptions about future economic conditions and courses of action. All statements and information other than statements of historical fact may be forward-looking statements. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "seek", "expect", "anticipate", "budget", "plan", "estimate", "continue", "forecast", "intend", "believe", "predict", "potential", "target", "may", "could", "would", "might", "will" and similar words or phrases (including negative variations) suggesting future outcomes or statements regarding an outlook.
Forward-looking statements in this release include, but are not limited to, statements and information regarding the project's cash flows from October 1, 2023 through to the end of 2030, the expected timing of stacking ore termination and the length of time that work is expected to continue at site via the sale of waste rock for aggregate, construction and landscape material in the regional area. Such forward-looking statements are based on a number of material factors and assumptions, including, but not limited to: the Company's ability to carry on exploration and development activities; the Company's ability to secure and to meet obligations under property and option agreements and other material agreements; the timely receipt of required approvals and permits; that there is no material adverse change affecting the Company or its properties; that contracted parties provide goods or services in a timely manner; that no unusual geological or technical problems occur; that plant and equipment function as anticipated and that there is no material adverse change in the price of silver, costs associated with production or recovery. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause actual results, performance or achievements, or industry results, to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. The Company believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct, and you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements contained herein.
Some of the risks and other factors which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in the forward-looking statements contained in this release include, but are not limited to: risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits and conclusions of economic evaluations; results of initial feasibility, pre-feasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks relating to possible variations in reserves, resources, grade, planned mining dilution and ore loss, or recovery rates and changes in project parameters as plans continue to be refined; mining and development risks, including risks related to accidents, equipment breakdowns, labour disputes (including work stoppages and strikes) or other unanticipated difficulties with or interruptions in exploration and development; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; risks related to commodity price and foreign exchange rate fluctuations; the uncertainty of profitability based upon the cyclical nature of the industry in which the Company operates; risks related to failure to obtain adequate financing on a timely basis and on acceptable terms or delays in obtaining governmental or local community approvals or in the completion of development or construction activities; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the uncertain global economic environment; and other factors contained in the section entitled "Risk Factors" in the Company's Management Discussion and Analysis dated November 29, 2023.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements, you are cautioned that this list is not exhaustive and there may be other factors that the Company has not identified. Furthermore, the Company undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements included in this release if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as otherwise required by applicable law.
APPENDIX
Table 1: Updated Mineral Resources - Soledad Mountain as of September 30, 2023
Notes to Table 1
- Mineral resources are inclusive of mineral reserves.
- Mineral resources that are not mineral reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability.
- Mineral resources are reported by applying cutoffs of 0.008 oz AuEq/ton (0.274 g/t) at the Silver Queen zone and 0.005 oz AuEq/ton (0.171 g/t) at all other areas to all model blocks lying within optimized resource pits, in consideration of potential open-pit mining and heap-leach processing.
- Gold equivalent grades were calculated as follows: oz AuEq/ton = oz Au/ton + (oz Ag/ton / AuEq Factor). The AuEq Factor is derived from metal prices ($2,000/oz Au and $23/oz Ag) and recoveries of 55% for Au and 40% for Ag for model blocks lying within the Silver Queen zone (AuEq Factor = 120), and 85% for Au and 40% for Ag in all other areas (AuEq Factor = 185).
- The effective date of the mineral resources is September 30, 2023.
- Tonnage and grade estimations are presented in both U.S. and metric units. Grades are reported in troy ounces per short ton (U.S.) and in grams per metric tonne.
- The Qualified Person for estimation of mineral resources is Michael Gustin of RESPEC.
- Rounding may result in apparent discrepancies between tons, grade, and contained metal content.
Table 2: Updated Mineral Reserves - Soledad Mountain as of September 30, 2023
Notes to Table 2
- Mineral reserves were tabulated based on a $1,850/oz gold price and $23/oz silver price within a pit designed.
- Mineral reserves are based on the economic input parameters provided in Tables 15.1-2,
15.1-3 & 15.1-4 of the Technical Report, which is available under the Company's profile on SEDAR+.
- The mineral reserves cutoff grade is based on a net smelter return of $8.44/ore ton ($9.30/ore tonne).
- Includes 389 ktons (353 ktonnes) from a low-grade stockpile, grading 0.48 g/t (0.014 opt) gold grade applied to probable reserves, not verified by QP, but is not material to the mineral reserves.
- Based on end of September 2023 topography.
- Imperial: ktons means 1000 short tons; where, 1 short ton = 2000 lbs.
- Metric: ktonnes means 1000 metric tonnes; where, 1 metric tonne = 2204.6 lbs.
- Gold and silver are all reported as contained grades and contained metal where:
"opt" is troy ounce per short ton and "g/t" is grams per metric tonne
"g/t" is grams per metric tonne
"oz" is 1 troy ounce.
- The columns may not sum exactly due to rounding.
The Qualified Person for the mineral reserve estimate is Joseph McNaughton, Senior Mining Engineer, P.Eng. and a partner of Independent Mining Consultants, Inc. The mineral reserve estimate was prepared in compliance with the disclosure and reporting requirements set forth in the NI 43-101. In accordance with the CIM classification system, only Measured and Indicated resource categories were converted to reserves (through inclusion within the open-pit mining limits). In this Mineral Reserve Statement, Inferred Mineral Resources are reported as waste.
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196404
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https://www.goldseiten.de/artikel/607450--Andean-Precious-Metals-Files-NI-43-101-Technical-Report-for-Golden-Queen-Miningund039s-Soledad-Mountain-Operation.html
| 2024-01-31T23:59:46Z
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Laws on abortion are out of step with public opinion. One Republican legislator in Tennessee is working to establish exceptions to his state's strict abortion laws, but he faces a tough battle.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Laws on abortion are out of step with public opinion. One Republican legislator in Tennessee is working to establish exceptions to his state's strict abortion laws, but he faces a tough battle.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.wunc.org/2024-01-31/a-tennessee-lawmaker-helped-pass-a-strict-abortion-law-hes-now-trying-to-loosen-it
| 2024-01-31T23:59:45Z
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UK opposition Labour party pledge productivity fix in latest pitch to business
LONDON, Jan 31 (Reuters) - Britain's opposition Labour Party will pledge to fix Britain's stagnating productivity at a conference for businesses on Thursday, its latest charm offensive to companies and investors ahead of a national election expected this year.
Keir Starmer, leader of the left-leaning party, will tell assembled executives that Labour will "get under the bonnet to fix an unprecedented stagnation in British productivity growth."
Labour, which leads Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's Conservatives by around 20 percentage points in opinion polls, has sent senior policy chiefs to the World Economic Forum in Davos as part of Starmer's pitch to the business community.
He will also tell the conference that Labour has changed and is now the "party of business", offering stability under his leadership, in contrast to the "permanent cycle of crisis" which has seen five Conservative prime ministers in eight years.
"The depth of the changes we've made to transform the Labour Party's relationship with business is something I take immense pride in," he will say, according to extracts released by the party.
Labour will also launch a plan on Thursday called "Labour's Partnership with Business for Growth," setting out more details of how to improve skills in the economy, back businesses and create economic stability.
Ahead of the conference, the party's finance policy chief Rachel Reeves said that Labour would champion Britain's financial sector and not bring in a new cap on bankers' bonuses.
Labour also wants closer economic ties with the European Union, including deeper co-operation with the bloc on financial services. (Reporting by Alistair Smout)
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-13030629/UK-opposition-Labour-party-pledge-productivity-fix-latest-pitch-business.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:59:46Z
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TULSA — The Oklahoma Department of Corrections has come under fire, from within prison walls and from outside the agency.
This week, KRMG reached out to the DOC’s Chief of Public Relations, Kay Thompson, who addressed several of the issues raised by lawmakers, prisoners, and private citizens.
[Hear Part Three of the KRMG In-Depth Series on Oklahoma prisons HERE]
Staffing levels, she admitted, are not where they need to be, with only 85% of positions filled agency-wide, and a vacancy rate of 19.5% for security staff.
“Our staffing, inmate to security staff ratio, is fifteen to one,” Thompson said. “Ideally, we would like to be less than probably ten to one. I think Texas right now is seven to one.”
On a more hopeful note, she says the attrition rate for employee leaving service has declined sharply since DOC Director Steven Harpe assumed his role in late 2022.
The annual rate of employee attrition was 27.9% at the time; under Harpe, she says, it has dropped to less than ten percent.
And, she added, Harpe has a passion for changing the culture of the prison system in Oklahoma.
“We have moved away from warehousing inmates,” Thompson said. “Our new vision statement is ‘We Change Lives,’ and honestly that is what our goal is to do.”
In furtherance of that goal, the Oklahoma DOC has established what may be the first Offender Advocacy Unit in the country, and has fielded an extensive survey of prisoners.
“Director Harpe wanted the voice of the inmate at his executive table,” Thompson told KRMG. “We have over 21,000 people that we take care of, we need to hear from them directly.”
The results of the survey are in, but the DOC hasn’t released them yet because the agency is following up to get more information about the answers it received from inmates, who were asked to score several things on a scale of one to five.
“That team is going out and they’re asking inmates ‘why did you rank it, you know, this number? Why did you rank the food this number?’” she explained. “And so, we’re finding reasonings behind these numbers.
Another recent initiative is to equip correctional officers with body cams, and Thompson admits the reaction from the COs has been mixed.
She says the goal is not to catch anyone doing wrong, but to help ensure safety for prisoners and staff alike.
Thompson admits that contraband remains an issue - and one could argue that body cams could help curtail some of that activity.
They should also help protect both staff and inmates from violence, or false accusations of violence.
She points out that the large majority of these inmates will one day walk out of prison and re-enter society.
“We exit, I think the last number I got was like 110 people a week from our prison system,” she told KRMG. “So, they’re going to move next door. They’re going to be working next to you.”
It’s to everyone’s benefit that those former prisoners have the training and/or education they need to be successful on the outside, for many reasons.
So, she added, “It’s our job to make sure that they serve their time as humanely - and as properly - and that they get the most out of their time with us” as possible.
Still, she admits, it will take time.
You can read part one of this series, and hear the KRMG In-Depth version, HERE.
You can read part two of this series, and hear the KRMG In-Depth version, HERE.
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https://www.1033theeagle.com/news/local/krmg-in-depth-oklahoma-department-corrections-under-fire-within-without-part-three/GHPLXELYOJDXXDZHJFNQQT775E/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:46Z
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Boeing released its 2023 earnings Wednesday, but the company's CEO spent most of a call with investors talking about safety and quality.
Boeing is facing big questions about quality control after a door plug panel blew off one of its 737 Max 9 jets in midair earlier this month.
"We are not issuing financial outlook for 2024 today. Now is not the time for that," chief executive Dave Calhoun said during an earnings call.
Instead, Calhoun focused much of the call seeking to reassure analysts — and the flying public — that the plane maker is taking the incident seriously.
"We will simply focus on every next airplane, and ensuring we meet all the standards that we have, all the standards that our regulator has and that our customers demand," he said.
Calhoun did not offer any information about the cause of the incident on January 5th, which is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. No one was seriously injured, but the incident touched off another crisis for Boeing. The troubled plane maker was still working to rebuild public trust after 346 people died in two 737 Max 8 jets that crashed in 2018 and 2019.
Boeing said Wednesday it lost $30 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. That's a better performance than the final quarter of 2022, when the company lost more than $600 million. Overall, Boeing lost $2.2 billion last year — its best result in 5 years.
But any improvement in the company's financials has been overshadowed by the latest safety incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration is allowing Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to fly again after an inspection and maintenance. Calhoun said airlines have now returned 129 Max 9 planes to service, out of a total of 171 that were grounded by the FAA.
Earlier this week, Boeing formally withdrew its request for an exemption from federal safety rules in order to speed up certification of its new Boeing Max 7 jet to start flying. The company had been hoping to begin delivering those smaller planes to airlines this year, despite a design flaw with the Max's engine de-icing system that could be potentially catastrophic.
Boeing wanted to use the same workaround that's already in use on its Max 8 and Max 9 jets. Now the company says it will focus on a permanent engineering fix instead.
Calhoun told analysts on Wednesday that process is expected to take about nine months, likely pushing certification of the Max 7 back into 2025.
The FAA has also taken the unusual step of ordering production caps at Boeing's factories. Calhoun said the company will continue producing 737s at the rate of 38 per month until the FAA agrees to lift that limit. And Calhoun told analysts that slowing down production at the behest of regulators would help the company fix problems in its factory and supply chain.
"I'm sort of glad they called out a pause. That's an excuse to take our time, and do it right," Calhoun said. "This is what we do, and how we get better."
But some longtime observers are skeptical that Boeing management is ready to confront the true scale of the problem.
"I'm sure they're hoping for a quick fix," said Peter Lemme, a former Boeing engineer who's now an aviation consultant. "But this is like a cancer in the system. And how far has it infiltrated, and what are you gonna do to eradicate it? I think it's going to take years for Boeing to really get back to where they should be on quality and manufacturing."
The NTSB is expected to release preliminary findings from its investigations of the Alaska Airlines incident in the coming days.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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https://www.keranews.org/2024-01-31/boeing-declines-to-give-a-financial-outlook-as-it-focuses-on-quality-and-safety
| 2024-01-31T23:59:46Z
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1844 Announces Update Regarding Hawk Ridge Option Agreement
Saskatoon, January 31, 2024 - 1844 Resources Inc. (TSXV: EFF) (the "Company" or "1844") is pleased to announce that the Company and Nickel North Exploration Corp. ("NNX") have agreed to extend the outside date of the amended and restated option agreement (the "Amended and Restated Option Agreement"), previously announced on December 1, 2023. The effective date of the Amended and Restated Option Agreement, being two business days following the acceptance of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSX-V") of the transactions contemplated by the Amended and Restated Option Agreement (the "Exchange Acceptance"), must now occur on or before February 29, 2024 instead of January 31, 2024, unless otherwise agreed to in writing by the Company and NNX. The Company continues to work diligently to satisfy the conditions necessary for the Exchange Acceptance.
About 1844 Resources Inc.: 1844 is an exploration company with a focus in strategic and energetic metals and underexplored regions "Gaspé, Nunavik Québec". With a dedicated management team, the Company's goal is to create shareholder value through the discovery of new deposits.
(signed) "Sylvain Laberge"
Sylvain Laberge
President and CEO
514.702.9841
Slaberge@1844 resources.com
FORWARD-LOOKING INFORMATION
This news release includes "forward-looking statements" and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities legislation. All statements included in this news release, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements including, without limitation, statements with respect to the Exchange Acceptance. Forward-looking statements include predictions, projections and forecasts and are often, but not always, identified by the use of words such as "anticipate", "believe", "plan", "estimate", "expect", "potential", "target", "budget" and "intend" and statements that an event or result "may", "will", "should", "could" or "might" occur or be achieved and other similar expressions and includes the negatives thereof.
Forward-looking statements are based on a number of assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by management based on the business and markets in which the Company operates, are inherently subject to significant operational, economic, and competitive uncertainties, risks and contingencies. These include assumptions regarding, among other things: general business and economic conditions; the availability of additional exploration and mineral project financing; and Exchange approval.
There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate and actual results, and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the Company's expectations include exploration or other risks detailed from time to time in the filings made by the Company with securities regulators, including those described under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recently filed MD&A. The Company does not undertake to update or revise any forward-looking statements, except in accordance with applicable law.
Neither the Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release.
NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWSWIRE SERVICES OR FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES
To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/196411
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https://www.goldseiten.de/artikel/607451--1844-Announces-Update-Regarding-Hawk-Ridge-Option-Agreement.html
| 2024-01-31T23:59:46Z
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ROANOKE, Va. – A bill to help people in prison get a second chance is back in the General Assembly.
House Bill 834 looks to modify incarcerated people’s sentences.
People serving time would have to meet criteria like serving time for at least 15 years and they cannot have a sentence modified within the last three years.
If granted a hearing, the court could modify the sentence based on:
- The age of the petitioner at the time of the offense, evidence of maturity since offense date
- History and characteristics of the petitioner
- Any testimony or victim impact statement presented by a family member of the victim
- Any evidence of the petitioner’s acts of service, leadership, or mentorship
Shawn Barksdale was in jail for armed robbery and served over 14 years in prison.
He was released in 2016, turned his life around, and started a nonprofit that encourages teens to not turn to violence during a dispute.
He is in support of House Bill 834.
“It’s not a get-out-of-jail free pass,” Barksdale said.
Leaders with the ACLU are speaking out saying, “It doesn’t make sense to incarcerate people who are no longer a threat to public safety. Second Look legislation is smart fiscal policy that won’t just save money, but generate it. It’s not only cheaper to return low-risk Virginians to their communities – it’s the right thing to do.”
Attorney General Jason Miyares issued the following statement:
“This legislation is another example of the criminal first, victim last mindset that Virginians have rejected loud and clear. Individuals who commit serious, violent crimes - like murder, rape, armed robbery, and assault — should not be rewarded default sentence reductions simply because they’re serving time for a crime they committed. This bill only re-victimizes individuals and discounts the trauma they experience by reliving the worst time of their lives.”
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https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2024/01/31/a-bill-to-re-evaluate-criminal-sentences-is-back-in-general-assembly/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:48Z
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A private abortion clinic in Fredericton says it has finally shut its doors, citing a steep rent increase and a lack of funding from the provincial government.
A notice on Clinic 554′s website says abortion care ended as of Wednesday. Its medical director, Dr. Adrian Edgar, said he could no longer afford the rent because the province does not fund abortions performed outside the hospital. The final straw was a doubling of the clinic’s rent set to take effect Thursday, he said in an interview.
“We don’t get any public funding. And without public funding, you can’t operate health care, and especially you can’t operate health care if the expenses are going up as they are,” Edgar said.
Edgar has said several times before that the clinic was closing, and in 2019 the clinic’s fate became an issue on the federal campaign trail. This time Edgar said the doors are closing for good and he has no intention of reopening elsewhere.
The clinic provided abortions to those who don’t have a medicare card, such as migrant workers, homeless people and international students in the Maritime provinces, he said. It charged much less than the fees hospitals bill the uninsured, he said.
Surgical abortion services are now only available in New Brunswick at two hospitals: the Dr. Georges-L.-Dumont University Hospital Centre in Moncton and the Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst.
Edgar said the province has the strictest abortion laws in the country. “New Brunswick has been undermining, illegally, access to abortion in Canada since the ‘80s,” he said.
After Fredericton’s Morgentaler clinic closed in 2014, citing a lack of provincial funding, the Liberal government of the day removed a regulation requiring women seeking hospital abortions to have two doctors certify the procedure as medically necessary. But the regulation limiting funding to abortions performed in hospitals remained.
Sean Hatchard, a spokesman for Health Minister Bruce Fitch, said New Brunswick is fully committed to the principles of the Canada Health Act. Abortions are publicly funded in New Brunswick by way of surgical abortion in hospitals or medical abortion with the pill Mifegymiso, he said by e-mail.
“The introduction of Mifegymiso as an alternative means of abortion has reduced demand for surgical abortions in New Brunswick. It is now the predominant form of abortion in our province and accounts for two-thirds of all abortions in New Brunswick,” he said.
Responding to questions about the Fredericton clinic’s closing, Federal Health Minister Mark Holland told reporters in Ottawa it’s essential that abortion services remain available. He called it a “fundamental right” for women everywhere in the country.
“So it’s not acceptable, not at all, to close a clinic, or to have a situation like that. It threatens women’s health,” he said. Holland said he needs to “take a little time to evaluate the situation” and plans to talk to Fitch.
Edgar said the province needs to change its policy to ensure everyone who needs it has access to abortion.
It is not just those who fall through the cracks, such as homeless people, migrant workers and international students, who are affected but others too because of a shortage of doctors, he noted. The shortage of doctors means there are women who don’t have immediate access to birth control pills, he said.
“I think that Canada should be paying attention to what’s happening in New Brunswick because I don’t want us to follow what’s happening in the States,” he said.
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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-new-brunswicks-only-private-abortion-provider-announces-it-is-closing/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:48Z
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NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with constitutional scholar Philip Bobbitt about the effort from House Republicans to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Copyright 2024 NPR
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with constitutional scholar Philip Bobbitt about the effort from House Republicans to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.kyuk.org/2024-01-31/constitutional-scholar-says-gop-charges-against-mayorkas-dont-meet-impeachment-bar
| 2024-01-31T23:59:50Z
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COAST GUARDAdvancing the U.S. Coast Guard's Global Impact
The U.S. Coast Guard is in high demand globally, engaging with over 160 countries on every continent and in every ocean. The service could better meet its strategic goals through enhanced internal coordination and prioritization of its international affairs efforts, as well as increased resources.
The U.S. Coast Guard is in high demand globally, engaging with over 160 countries on every continent and in every ocean. The service could better meet its strategic goals through enhanced internal coordination and prioritization of its international affairs efforts, as well as increased resources.
To help the Coast Guard amplify its international impact and meet growing global demand despite budget constraints, the service asked RAND’s Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center to analyze how to improve coordination, alignment, and prioritization of international efforts.
In the report, Improving the Effectiveness of U.S. Coast Guard International Affairs Efforts, RAND proposed tangible, systematic approaches to information sharing, decisionmaking, performance measurement, and relationship-building. RAND found that the service lacked a shared understanding of international affairs efforts and lacked clarity regarding roles, responsibilities, strategic intent, and impact. To address this, the report characterized the international affairs aims and documented how the Coast Guard fulfills them through policy, strategy, operations, activities, and investments. Coast Guard international activities were then linked with direct results, higher-level outcomes, and national strategic goals.
With this information, the report suggests how to evaluate the impacts of Coast Guard international affairs efforts through measurement and how to decide future resource allocation. Given resource constraints, we recommended mechanisms for enhancing international-affairs coordination and processes. These proposed ways forward included the development of a structured, repeatable method to prioritize where to focus efforts, even as global circumstances, relationships, and interests evolve. Other recommendations include the improved management of data, information sharing, and internal relationship building. Also, updated training, further valuing international experience in promotions, clearly defining the roles for different international-affairs stakeholders across the service, and creating more billets for international efforts.
International interest in working with the U.S. Coast Guard stems from its unique combination of law-enforcement and defense capabilities. The force also has a positive global reputation, due to its expertise and it is agile and adaptable. The service trains partner nation coast guards and navies and conducts exercises and operations alongside them. Coast Guard personnel also provide port security assessments, respond to natural disasters, equip nations with operational assets, and conduct high-level leadership engagements that strengthen relationships. In many of its international endeavors, the U.S. Coast Guard works closely with the Defense Department, State Department, other domestic agencies, and through international agreements to enhance their collective impact on global security.
The service supports the U.S. goal of sustaining a rules-based international order by strengthening other nations’ maritime services and building relationships with them. Ultimately, the service contributes to U.S. interests by helping countries to improve maritime safety, security, and stewardship, while countering various threats. For example, the U.S. Coast Guard works with partners to counter drug smuggling in the Americas and the Middle East, illegal fishing in the central Pacific, and piracy off the coast of Africa. Coast Guard personnel also participate in forums to discuss law enforcement in different regions including Southeast Asia, given the current U.S. interest in the Indo-Pacific and the service’s recent establishment of a base in Guam. Mobile Training Teams also help other nations to better prevent illegal activity. The Coast Guard’s work helps to counter transnational criminal organizations, as well as Chinese and Russian grey zone (PDF) tactics. These efforts are done in addition to the service’s extensive domestic duties, despite their extremely limited capacity. The service has a force of about 41,000 active-duty personnel, one-eighth the size of the U.S. Air Force. They face gapped billets overseas, and need more personnel, ships, aircraft, and funding to achieve their missions.
The U.S. Coast Guard’s implementation of the report’s recommendations would provide an avenue for the service to articulate its international impact and value proposition to internal and external audiences. These audiences include the Departments of Homeland Security, Defense, State, other federal agencies, the White House, Congress, international partners, and the global public. This could also help to enhance the U.S. Coast Guard’s ability to meet global demand, if it leads to substantial and sustained resources.
Sarah Weilant is a policy researcher, Scott Savitz is a senior engineer, and Vice-Admiral (ret.) Dan Abel is an adjunct senior fellow at RAND. This article is published courtesy of RAND.
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https://www.homelandsecuritynewswire.com/dr20240131-advancing-the-u-s-coast-guards-global-impact
| 2024-01-31T23:59:50Z
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Love Island fans claimed there was "no reason" to keep watching the ITV2 series following an exit on Wednesday night.
A quadruple elimination sent shockwaves across the villa in the latest episode, just as two new bombshells prepared to enter the villa. After two stars were axed on Tuesday night, another pair were dropped from the villa on Wednesday, and viewers were not happy with the decision.
A day on from Liberty Poole and Mitchel Taylor being voted out of the villa by the public, it was then the Islanders' turn to vote out one girl and one boy. Host Maya Jama had the girls and boys split up and decide which two stars would leave the show.
The boys had to choose to send home a girl, and the girls has to choose which male Islander to send packing. It was decided that Hannah Elizabeth and Tyler Cruickshank, who happened to be in a couple, had been axed there and then.
But viewers were not happy with the decision to send Hannah home, with many threatening to switch off now that she was gone. Taking to X, fans fumed over the boys sending Hannah out of the villa believing someone else should have gone.
One viewer said: "hannah and tyler gone i quit all stars i’m not watching it anymore," as another commented: "right if they send anton or hannah home istg will not be watching." A third fan added: "I’m not watching this anymore," while a fourth said: "Give me a reason to watch Love Island now that Hannah’s gone, I’ll wait."
I've got a text! Want all the updates from Love Island All-Stars series straight to your phone? Join our free Love Island Factor 50 WhatsApp group!
With the upcoming All-Stars series set to see previous icons return and awkward exes reunite, the Mirror team will help you stay on top of all the gossip from inside and outside the villa. To get all the biggest Love Island stories as they come out, follow this link: https://tinyurl.com/98upvuzy
Love Island: All Stars launches this month on ITV2 and ITV X.* Follow Mirror Celebs and TV on Snapchat , Instagram , Twitter , Facebook , YouTube and Threads .
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https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/furious-love-island-viewers-stop-32014562
| 2024-01-31T23:59:51Z
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CHRISTIANA, Tenn (WTVF) — In an effort to ensure that every student has access to basic hygiene products, Rutherford County Schools has introduced hygiene vending machines in select schools, offering a fresh start for students facing challenges.
The machines, stocked with everything from feminine products to laundry pods, aim to eliminate barriers to attendance caused by a lack of essential items.
Christiana Middle School is the latest school to get a machine, and everything inside the hygiene vending machine is absolutely free for students.
The project is a collaboration between the school district and the local non-profit organization Archie's Promise, which provides affordable formal and business wear and free hygiene products to economically disadvantaged families and displaced youth and adults.
Claressa Ham, the executive director of Archie's Promise, expressed the ultimate goal of the initiative, stating, “The ultimate goal is to know that they have these items here and available; they don't have to miss school, they can come get what they need at school.”
Christiana Middle School joins two other schools in the district that have already implemented hygiene vending machines.
Melissa Bobo, a school counselor at Christiana Middle School, acknowledged the positive impact this initiative has on students, especially those in the Atlas Program, which serves students experiencing homelessness in Rutherford County.
The vending machine has become a valuable resource for students who may lack access to essential items at home.
The Atlas Program currently supports less than 20 students without stable housing in the county, but Bobo believes there are likely more students in need.
"It's nice when you get the kids to come in, and they're just like, oh, my mom has been needing like a new toothbrush or like, my brother ran out of deodorant the other day, and can I get one for him?"
Educators at Christiana Middle School recognize the significance of addressing students' non-academic needs and understanding the impact of hardships at home on a child's ability to learn.
Principal Dr. Kyle Nix highlighted the importance of creating a safe and comfortable environment for students both inside and outside the classroom.
“I love it. I love being able to provide our students this opportunity. I love giving them access to something that they may not have at home,” Dr. Nix said.
Looking ahead, Archie's Promise aims to extend the initiative to more schools in Rutherford County during the next school year.
Archie's Promise is always taking donations to help keep these machines stocked.
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https://www.newschannel5.com/news/education/school-patrol/hygiene-vending-machines-offer-a-fresh-start-for-students-in-rutherford-county-schools
| 2024-01-31T23:59:51Z
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Drugmaker Biogen is pulling the plug on its controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm, following disappointing sales. It had been expected to be a blockbuster product.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Drugmaker Biogen is pulling the plug on its controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm, following disappointing sales. It had been expected to be a blockbuster product.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.kanw.com/2024-01-31/expected-to-be-a-big-deal-alzheimers-drug-is-pulled-after-disappointing-sales
| 2024-01-31T23:59:51Z
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Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Southern Gaza has seen the heaviest fighting over the past few weeks. But bombing has restarted in the north and the humanitarian situation has worsened there.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.wunc.org/2024-01-31/as-israel-resumes-bombing-in-the-north-thousands-of-gazans-face-desperate-conditions
| 2024-01-31T23:59:52Z
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Broadway star Hinton Battle, who played the original Scarecrow at the 1978 "The Wiz", has died at 67. He was a three-time Tony Award winner.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Broadway star Hinton Battle, who played the original Scarecrow at the 1978 "The Wiz", has died at 67. He was a three-time Tony Award winner.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2024-01-31/broadway-legend-hinton-battle-who-originally-played-scarecrow-in-the-wiz-has-died
| 2024-01-31T23:59:53Z
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Nine injured in incident involving 'corrosive substance' in London, police say
Jan 31 (Reuters) - Nine people, including two children, were injured in an incident involving a "corrosive substance" in Clapham, London's Metropolitan police said on Wednesday.
"Three victims - a woman and her two young children - have been taken to hospital for treatment," the police said in a statement, adding that three other people - all adults - were taken to hospital for injuries sustained.
Three police officers were also taken to hospital with minor injuries, the statement said.
There have been no arrests at this stage, the police said. (Reporting by Gnaneshwar Rajan in Bengaluru; Editing by Daniel Wallis)
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-13030631/Nine-injured-incident-involving-corrosive-substance-London-police-say.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:59:52Z
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New Pacific Metals Announces 2024 Plans for Operations in Bolivia
VANCOUVER, Jan. 31, 2024 - New Pacific Metals Corp. (TSX: NUAG) (NYSE American: NEWP) ("New Pacific" or the "Company") is pleased to outline its 2024 plans for its operations in Bolivia.
Andrew Williams, President and CEO, states: "2024 is expected to be a pivotal year for New Pacific. At our Silver Sand project, we expect to deliver our Preliminary Feasibility Study by mid-year, enabling us to declare mineral reserves for the first time in our Company's history. Simultaneously, with several important initiatives underway, we continue our steady march towards submitting our Environmental Impact Assessment Study. At our Carangas project, we plan to build upon last year's inaugural mineral resource estimate, revealing conceptual economics through an anticipated mid-year release of a Preliminary Economic Assessment."
"In the past year at New Pacific, we have successfully added new project development capabilities while retaining our exploration capacity to strategically expand or reduce risk at our projects and capitalize on new opportunities as they arise. At our Silver Sand and Carangas projects we have made back-to-back greenfield silver discoveries in a country with a rich history of silver mining spanning 500 years. We have also curated a team of Bolivians who are energized to develop responsibly the country's next generation of great silver mines. With our balance sheet recently bolstered by a C$35 million financing, New Pacific has a strong growth foundation in a world with an increasing demand for silver."
The Preliminary Feasibility Study (the "PFS") in respect of the Company's Silver Sand project is progressing as planned, with an expected delivery by mid-2024. Independent consultants AMC Mining Consultants (Canada) Ltd., NewFields Canada Mining & Environment ULC and Halyard Inc. are actively involved in completing the PFS. Significant milestones achieved include the completion of mine optimization, strategic phasing, processing flowsheet optimization, and tailings trade-off studies. Concurrently, ongoing efforts encompass strategic mine scheduling, tailings and site infrastructure design, and processing plant layout design. We expect the technical route to remain largely consistent with the Preliminary Economic Assessment in respect of the Silver Sand project (the "Silver Sand PEA Technical Report") published in January 2023. Please see "Cautionary Note Regarding Results of Preliminary Economic Assessment". For more details on the Silver Sand PEA Technical Report, please refer to the Company's news releases dated February 16, 2023 and January 9, 2023.
In May 2023, the Silver Sand project obtained its environmental categorization as a proposed open pit operation from Bolivia's Ministry of Environment and Water, formally commencing the Environmental Impact Assessment Study ("EEIA") process. The Company continues to advance its socialization process with communities located within the Silver Sand project's area of influence and collect wet and dry season environmental baseline data. In addition, the Company is establishing a development fund for sustainable development projects in partnership with local communities, demonstrating its long-term commitment to the region.
After completion of the socialization process, the Company plans to achieve the following:
1) obtain surface rights through long-term land lease agreements;
2) finalize a resettlement and compensation plan for impacted families; and
3) implement measures to safeguard cultural and historical heritage.
Integral to our pathway towards obtaining the EEIA, the Company is establishing a framework to coexist with artisanal and small-scale miners ("ASMs") in areas of the Silver Sand project that do not encroach on our mineral rights. New Pacific recognizes the importance of ASMs to the region's economic and political landscape and is committed to ensuring the shared benefits from a proposed modern mining operation, including access to milling capacity, technology, infrastructure, and capital, are realized. The Company is also undertaking measures, with the assistance of both local government authorities and external contractors, to address the presence of ASMs whose activities do not align with the development objectives of the Silver Sand project.
The Company is also pursuing compliance with the International Finance Corporation's eight performance standards for sustainable development, building on an assessment conducted with an independent consultant last year. This aligns with New Pacific's commitment to responsible mining while providing the ancillary benefit of positioning the project for development by the Company, or another party, upon successful completion of the EEIA process.
The Company continues to engage with the Bolivia state mining corporation, Corporación Minera de Bolivia (the "COMIBOL"), to obtain the ratification and approval of the signed Mining Production Contract (the "MPC") at the Silver Sand project by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly of Bolivia. The Company and COMIBOL have refined the MPC to concentrate exclusively on claims immediately adjacent to the Silver Sand project boundary. This streamlined landholding, while maintaining the core value of the MPC to the Silver Sand project, is anticipated to facilitate progress towards ratification and approval of the MPC.
The Preliminary Economic Assessment in respect of the Company's Carangas project (the "Carangas PEA") remains on schedule for completion by mid-2024. The Company and its independent consultants are currently undertaking trade-off studies based on the Mineral Resource Estimate in respect of the Carangas project (the "Carangas MRE"). For more details on the Carangas MRE, please refer to the Company's news releases dated September 5, 2023 and September 18, 2023. There are a variety of open pit mining options under review, all focusing on the higher-grade, near-surface starter pit at the Carangas project that can be mined at a lower strip ratio. Additionally, the Company is undertaking a metallurgical test program to enhance the processing flowsheet and gather valuable data to support the Carangas PEA.
At the Company's Silverstrike project, exploration activities remain on standby as the Company focuses on the programs for the Silver Sand project and Carangas project, as outlined above.
The scientific and technical information contained in this news release has been reviewed and approved by Alex Zhang, P. Geo., Vice President of Exploration (the "Qualified Person"), who is a qualified person (as defined in National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101")) for the purposes of NI 43-101. The Qualified Person has verified the information disclosed herein using standard verification processes, including the sampling, preparation, security and analytical procedures underlying such information, and is not aware of any significant risks and uncertainties or any limitations on the verification process that could be expected to affect the reliability or confidence in the information discussed herein.
New Pacific is a Canadian exploration and development company with three precious metal projects in Bolivia. The Company's flagship Silver Sand project has the potential to be developed into one of the world's largest silver mines. The Company is also rapidly advancing its Carangas project towards a Preliminary Economic Assessment. For the Silverstrike project, the Company completed a discovery drill program in 2022.
For further information, please contact:
Andrew Williams, CEO
New Pacific Metals Corp.
1750 - 1066 Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC V6E 3X1, Canada
U.S. & Canada toll-free: 1 (877) 631-0593
E-mail: invest@newpacificmetals.com
For additional information and to receive the Company news by e-mail, please register using New Pacific's website at www.newpacificmetals.com
The results of the preliminary economic assessment (the "PEA") contained in the Silver Sand PEA Technical Report, are preliminary in nature and are intended to provide an initial assessment of the Silver Sand Project's economic potential and development options. The PEA mine schedule and economic assessment includes numerous assumptions and is based on both indicated and inferred mineral resources. Inferred resources are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves, and there is no certainty that the project economic assessments described herein will be achieved or that the PEA results will be realized. The estimate of mineral resources may be materially affected by geology, environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing or other relevant issues. Mineral resources are not mineral reserves and do not have demonstrated economic viability. Additional exploration will be required to potentially upgrade the classification of the inferred mineral resources to be considered in future advanced studies. AMC Mining Consultants (Canada) Ltd. ("AMC Consultants") (mineral resource, mining, infrastructure and financial analysis) was contracted to conduct the PEA in cooperation with Halyard Inc. (metallurgy and processing), and NewFields Canada Mining & Environment ULC (tailings, water and waste management). The qualified persons (as defined in NI 43-101) for the PEA for the purposes of NI 43-101 are Mr. John Morton Shannon, P.Geo, General Manage and Principal Geologist at AMC Consultants, Mr. Wayne Rogers, P.Eng, and Mr. Mo Molavi, P.Eng, both Principal Mining Engineers with AMC Consultants, Mr. Andrew Holloway, P.Eng, Process Director with Halyard Inc., and Mr. Leon Botham, P.Eng., Principal Engineer with NewFields Canada Mining & Environment ULC, in addition to Ms. Dinara Nussipakynova, P.Geo., Principal Geologist with AMC Consultants, who estimated the mineral resources. All qualified persons for the PEA have reviewed the disclosure of the PEA herein. The PEA is based on the Mineral Resource Estimate (the "MRE"), which was reported on November 28, 2022. The effective date of the MRE is October 31, 2022. The cut-off applied for reporting the pit-constrained mineral resources is 30 g/t silver. Assumptions made to derive a cut-off grade included mining costs, processing costs and recoveries and were obtained from comparable industry situations. The model is depleted for historical mining activities. Mineral resources are constrained by optimized pit shells at a silver price of US$22.50 per ounce, silver metallurgical recovery of 91%, silver payability of 99%, open pit mining cost of US$2.6/t, processing cost of US$16/t, G&A cost of US$2/t, and slope angle of 44-47 degrees. Key assumptions used for pit optimization for the PEA mining pit include silver price of US$22.50 per ounce, silver metallurgical recovery of 91%, silver payability of 99%, open pit mining cost of US$2.6/t, incremental mining cost of US$0.04/t (per 10 m bench), processing cost of US$16/t, tailing storage facility operating cost of US$0.7/t, G&A cost of US$2/t, royalty of 6.00%, mining recovery of 92%, dilution of 8%, and cut-off grade of 30 g/t silver.
Certain of the statements and information in this news release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian provincial securities laws. Any statements or information that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "is expected", "anticipates", "believes", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategies", "targets", "goals", "forecasts", "objectives", "budgets", "schedules", "potential" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements or information. Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: anticipated exploration, drilling, development, construction, and other activities or achievements of the Company, including, but not limited to, the PFS, the MPC, the PEA, the Company's socialization efforts, establishment of a development fund, negotiations with ASMs, and the Company's efforts to comply with the International Finance Corporation's performance standards; inferred, indicated or measured mineral resources or mineral reserves on the Company's projects; timing of receipt of permits and regulatory approvals, including, but not limited to, the EEIA; and estimates of demand for silver.
Forward-looking statements or information are subject to a variety of known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ from those reflected in the forward-looking statements or information, including, without limitation, risks that: exploration, drilling, development, construction, and other activities or achievements of the Company, including, but not limited to, the PFS, the MPC, the PEA, the Company's socialization efforts, establishment of a development fund, negotiations with ASMs, and the Company's efforts to comply with the International Finance Corporation's performance standards, will not proceed in the manner anticipated, or at all; inferred, indicated or measured mineral resources or mineral reserves on the Company's projects are not accurate; the timing of receipt of permits and regulatory approvals, including, but not limited to, the EEIA, is not as anticipated; estimates of demand for silver are not as anticipated; and other factors described under the heading "Risk Factors" in the Company's annual information form for the year ended June 30, 2023 and its other public filings. This list is not exhaustive of the factors that may affect any of the Company's forward-looking statements or information.
The forward-looking statements are necessarily based on a number of estimates, assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of the date of this news release that, while considered reasonable by management, are inherently subject to significant business, economic and competitive uncertainties and contingencies. These estimates, assumptions, beliefs, expectations and options include, but are not limited to, those related to the Company's ability to carry on current and future operations, including: the duration and effects of COVID-19 on our operations and workforce; development and exploration activities; the timing, extent, duration and economic viability of such operations; the accuracy and reliability of estimates, projections, forecasts, studies and assessments; the Company's ability to meet or achieve estimates, projections and forecasts; the stabilization of the political climate in Bolivia; the Company's ability to obtain and maintain social license at its mineral properties; the availability and cost of inputs; the price and market for outputs; foreign exchange rates; taxation levels; the timely receipt of necessary approvals or permits, including the ratification and approval of the Mining Production Contract with COMIBOL by the Plurinational Legislative Assembly of Bolivia; the ability of the Company's Bolivian partner to convert the exploration licenses at the Carangas Project to administrative mining contracts; the ability to meet current and future obligations; the ability to obtain timely financing on reasonable terms when required; the current and future social, economic and political conditions; and other assumptions and factors generally associated with the mining industry.
Although the forward-looking statements contained in this news release are based upon what management believes are reasonable assumptions, there can be no assurance that actual results will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. All forward-looking statements in this news release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on such statements. Other than specifically required by applicable laws, the Company is under no obligation and expressly disclaims any such obligation to update or alter the forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise except as may be required by law. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this news release.
This news release has been prepared in accordance with the requirements of the securities laws in effect in Canada which differ from the requirements of United States securities laws. All mining terms used herein but not otherwise defined have the meanings set forth in NI 43-101. Unless otherwise indicated, the technical and scientific disclosure herein has been prepared in accordance with NI 43-101, which differs significantly from the requirements adopted by the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.
Accordingly, information contained in this news release containing descriptions of the Company's mineral deposits may not be comparable to similar information made public by United States companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements of United States federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder.
Additional information relating to the Company, including the Company's annual information form, can be obtained under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca, on EDGAR at www.sec.gov, and on the Company's website at www.newpacificmetals.com.
View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/new-pacific-metals-announces-2024-plans-for-operations-in-bolivia-302049881.html
SOURCE New Pacific Metals Corp.
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https://www.goldseiten.de/artikel/607452--New-Pacific-Metals-Announces-2024-Plans-for-Operations-in-Bolivia.html
| 2024-01-31T23:59:53Z
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Boston College head coach Jeff Hafley is moving to football highest level for a lower position.
Hafley, who has led the Eagles for the last four seasons, is expected to leave the school to become the defensive coordinator of the Green Bay Packers, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel.
The Packers spot was open after the firing of the much-maligned Joe Barry, whose defenses ranked 27th in DVOA this season and 25th last season despite spending four straight first-round picks on that side of the ball. The team isn't without talent, having gone 9-8 in the regular season and soundly defeated the Dallas Cowboys in the wild-card round, but there was clearly room for improvement.
The Packers interviewed at least six other candidates for the defensive coordinator position per SB Nation, including former Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley, but opted for a somewhat outside-the-box hire.
Hafley has seven years of NFL coaching experience as a defensive backs coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cleveland Browns and San Francisco 49ers. He moved back to the college level in 2019, working as co-defensive coordinator and defensive backs coach for Ohio State for a season before taking the Boston College job.
Under Hafley, BC posted a 22-26 record, most recently going 7-6 with a win in the Fenway Bowl. Thamel reports two motivations pushed Hafley to move back to the NFL: reverence for the Packers and frustration with the current state of college football in an era of big budgets, relaxed transfer rules and NIL money:
"He wants to go coach football again in a league that is all about football," a source told ESPN. "College coaching has become fundraising, NIL and recruiting your own team and transfers. There's no time to coach football anymore."
The Packers will have at least one familiar face for Hafley in linebacker Isaiah McDuffie, who played for Boston College in the coach's first year on the job.
Hafley's departure is also terrible timing for Boston College, as the college football coaching hire cycle had been all but settled.
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https://www.1033theeagle.com/news/national/boston-college-head/E6KYEOFYB3VHEZI3NDRCWTLT3Y/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:52Z
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WTA roundup: Top 5 seeds breeze through in Austria
Seeded Russians Ekaterina Alexandrova (No. 2) and Anastasia Potapova (No. 5) cruised in straight sets on Wednesday at the Upper Austria Ladies Linz.
Alexandrova advanced with a 6-3, 6-0 win over German Jule Niemeier and Potapova defeated Italy's Sara Errani 6-4, 6-3.
Eighth-seeded Petra Martic of Croatia lost in three sets to Czech Katerina Siniakova 4-6, 6-3, 7-5.
Other winners included Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, Dayana Yastremska and Jodie Burrage.
Thailand Open
Third-seeded Xinyu Wang of China advanced in straight sets but fellow countrywoman and No. 5 Xiyu Wang lost 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 to Hungary's Dalma Galfi.
Xiyu Wang won just 64.2 percent of her first serves vs. 77.6 percent for Galfi.
No. 7 seed and Kazakhstani Yulia Putintseva defeated Switzerland's Viktorija Golubic 7-6 (0), 7-6 (1).
Diana Shnaider advanced when Spain's Paula Badosa retired in the second set. Badosa led 4-3 in the second after dropping the first set.
--Field Level Media
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https://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/reuters/article-13030645/WTA-roundup-Top-5-seeds-breeze-Austria.html?ns_mchannel=rss&ns_campaign=1490&ito=1490
| 2024-01-31T23:59:54Z
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Seymour Schulich says “a free option is a terrible thing to give up, and a wonderful thing to own” in his book Get Smarter: Life and Business Lessons. His success as the co-founder to the predecessor to Franco-Nevada Corp. FNV-T can be credited to optionality, a concept often misunderstood and undervalued.
Two primary types of optionality come into play with a minerals royalty business model like Franco-Nevada’s – price optionality and land optionality. However, there is now a third option associated with Franco-Nevada – the potential reopening of the shuttered Cobre Panama mine option – and investors are currently getting this option for free.
The most remarkable form of optionality lies in land optionality. This involves holding a royalty over an extensive land package, even if the mining operator initially targets only a small portion of that land for development. If successful, the operator will eventually proceed to develop other sections of the land. The royalty company incurs no costs or obligations for additional exploration and development expenses. However, should minerals be discovered in these areas, the royalty company benefits.
The founding story of Canada’s Franco-Nevada is a great example of land optionality. In 1986, Pierre Lassonde and Mr. Schulich bought their first precious metals royalty for US$2-million, covering 3,416 acres of land in Nevada. Shortly thereafter, Toronto’s Barrick Gold Corp. ABX-T launched an exploration program in the area that unveiled one of the largest gold deposits in North America. This royalty arrangement has since paid more than US$1-billion in cash to Franco-Nevada, and the benefits are continuing.
Price optionality is straightforward. Royalties are secured based on existing commodity prices, and any increase in gold and silver prices contributes to additional revenue for the royalty company without requiring any extra effort. The abundance of monetary, fiscal and geopolitical risks has driven gold prices close to historic highs. Gold frequently serves as a portfolio diversifier, and the added benefit of price optionality is that it tends to manifest itself particularly in periods of heightened volatility.
In 2002, Toronto-based miner Newmont acquired Franco-Nevada for US$3-billion. Franco-Nevada’s management team had displayed remarkable astuteness in acquiring high-quality royalty properties and expanding the business. In 2007, Newmont initiated an initial public offering for Franco-Nevada. Since the IPO at $15.20 a share, the stock has exhibited remarkable growth, reaching a recent closing price near $145 a share. Although a bear market in gold commenced in 2011, Franco-Nevada shares have continued to make gains, demonstrating its ability to grow without necessarily needing a continual rise in gold prices.
The trials and tribulations of Vancouver’s First Quantum Minerals Ltd. FM-T and its Cobre Panama project have been well covered in this newspaper. To briefly reiterate, Cobre Panama is a copper mine in Panama that was built at a cost of approximately US$6.8-billion, of which Franco-Nevada contributed US$1.36-billion. The mine created 40,000 direct and indirect jobs. In 2023, despite First Quantum offering significant concessions in its agreement with the country, popular protests forced the Panamanian government to order the mine to close.
Arbitration proceedings under the terms of the Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement have been initiated by both First Quantum and Franco-Nevada against the Panamanian government. Similar cases in the past have resulted in significant penalties for the governments involved. To mitigate this potential outcome, there is a possibility that the Panamanian government may engage in renegotiations. Predicting the ultimate outcome is challenging, but given the asset’s significance (1.5 per cent of the global copper supply), the probability of the mine being permanently closed is relatively low.
For Franco-Nevada, Cobre Panama was its largest royalty asset at about US$2-billion in net asset value and 22 per cent of revenue. However, the value subtracted from Franco-Nevada’s market capitalization owing to the shutdown of Cobre Panama has been more than US$6-billion.
If Cobre Panama ever goes back into production, it might add $45 to $50 a share to Franco-Nevada’s stock price. (It had reached a record high of $218 a share in 2023 before the announcement the mine would be closed.) That scope for upside makes it essentially a free option. In the meantime, investors can enjoy a 1.3-per-cent dividend yield, a strong balance sheet, best-in-class management team and, importantly, a portfolio of 432 high-quality royalties that should compound with time because of their price and land optionality.
Disclosure: The author and the accounts he manages at White Falcon own shares in Franco-Nevada.
Balkar Sivia is the founder and portfolio manager of White Falcon Capital Management Ltd. (www.whitefalconcap.com)
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https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/investment-ideas/article-franco-nevadas-business-model-demonstrates-the-benefits-of-optionality/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:55Z
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BLACKSBURG, Va. – The Montgomery County School Board is launching a third-party investigation into the deaths of two high schoolers back in November.
The third-party investigator will look into the circumstances of the apparent murder-suicide of Serenity Hawley and Croney Monk.
“I hope that the knowledge gained will help us understand what happened and I hope that that knowledge will help us heal,” said Wendy Eckenrod-Green, a Blacksburg parent and creator of a petition asking for transparency from the school system.
Recently, the school board placed the principal of Blacksburg High School on leave, but Blacksburg High School students held a protest at the Montgomery County School Board meeting to bring back their principal.
“They showed up yesterday evening with posters that were really profound to demonstrate their admiration, and [to show] how safe they feel with him in the school system,” Eckenrod-Green said.
Eckenrod-Green said the goal of the petition was not to have the principal put on leave, but to get answers to prevent a tragedy like this from happening again.
“I hope that all the individuals who had decision-making authority over the well-being of Croney and Serenity fully cooperate with the investigation,” Eckenrod-Green said.
She said Blacksburg is a small community and this tragedy continues to impact them every day.
“There were two students involved who had, friends, family members, and siblings,” said Eckenrod-Green. “Her friends, and I am sure Croney’s friends, are grieving significantly. They’re struggling.”
We reached out to the Hawley family for comment on the investigation and while they did not wish to do an interview, they told 10 News they support the third-party investigation.
They said if policies were in place to prevent the tragedy and were not used, they need to know why. They also said they do not believe the principal should be on leave due to his brief time in charge before the event.
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https://www.wsls.com/news/local/2024/01/31/community-reacts-to-montgomery-county-school-board-third-party-investigation/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:55Z
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ELON MUSK ANNOUNCES FIRST HUMAN BRAIN IMPLANT SUCCESS, SAYS COULD LEAD TO HUMANS TRANSFERRING BODIES AND DEFYING DEATH
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https://www.brighteon.com/440c7f3c-aa9f-428a-b233-532ca2949336
| 2024-01-31T23:59:55Z
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Drugmaker Biogen is pulling the plug on its controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm, following disappointing sales. It had been expected to be a blockbuster product.
Copyright 2024 NPR
Drugmaker Biogen is pulling the plug on its controversial Alzheimer's drug Aduhelm, following disappointing sales. It had been expected to be a blockbuster product.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.kyuk.org/2024-01-31/expected-to-be-a-big-deal-alzheimers-drug-is-pulled-after-disappointing-sales
| 2024-01-31T23:59:56Z
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Americans have mixed reactions when it comes to single-use plastic bag bans. Some people don't mind having a ban in place because they can carry more groceries in a reusable tote. But some people hate it because they find having to remember that tote every time they go to the grocery store, inconvenient.
But no matter your stance on plastic bag bans, there's new research showing they are making a difference for the environment.
The nonprofit Environment America looked at plastic bag numbers in five locations with bans; New Jersey, Vermont, Philadelphia, PA, Portland, OR, and Santa Barbra, CA.
Altogether, just these five cities and states have prevented the use of 6 billion single-use plastic bags per year. That's enough bags to wrap around the Earth 42 times.
In all, there are more than 500 cities and 12 states that ban single-use plastic bags.
"It has a huge impact on the environment, you know. Plastic bags are one of the most wasteful, single-use plastic products. They're really rarely reused, they're really difficult to recycle, and the bottom line is that we just need to be reducing the plastics that we truly don't need," said Celeste Meiffren-Swango with Environment America.
Along with this new research, the nonprofit has also created an interactive tool so you can see what a plastic bag ban is doing, or would do, for your city or state.
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https://www.newschannel5.com/news/national/no-matter-your-stance-on-plastic-bag-bans-research-shows-theyre-working-for-the-environment
| 2024-01-31T23:59:57Z
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From the occupied West Bank, an emergency hotline assists rescue efforts in Gaza By Aya Batrawy Published January 31, 2024 at 3:39 PM MST Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 5:17 NPR visits an emergency hotline center in the West Bank assisting first responders in the Gaza Strip. Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.kanw.com/2024-01-31/from-the-occupied-west-bank-an-emergency-hotline-assists-rescue-efforts-in-gaza
| 2024-01-31T23:59:57Z
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NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with constitutional scholar Philip Bobbitt about the effort from House Republicans to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Copyright 2024 NPR
NPR's Ari Shapiro speaks with constitutional scholar Philip Bobbitt about the effort from House Republicans to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Copyright 2024 NPR
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https://www.keranews.org/2024-01-31/constitutional-scholar-says-gop-charges-against-mayorkas-dont-meet-impeachment-bar
| 2024-01-31T23:59:58Z
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Your eyes do not deceive you. The new ThinkWare F70 Pro looks remarkably similar to the six-year-old F70 it succeeds, but inside the compact body you’ll find a handful of useful upgrades.
I’ve always been a fan of the original Thinkware F70, thanks to its compact design, affordable price and a sense that Thinkware knew not to overwhelm its customers with unnecessary features. Instead the F70 is a simple dash cam that can be set up and used with very little effort.
The F70 Pro continues this trend, but brings with it a handful of upgrades. These include Wifi connectivity – for hooking up to your smartphone and viewing or transferring recordings – improved night vision, a new parking mode and changes to the dash cam’s energy-saving technology.
Thinkware is one of the biggest dash cam companies around, with a wide range of products covering most price points. The F70 Pro promises to be a good option for drivers who want a dash cam from a brand they can trust, but which lands at an affordable price point.
I’ve used a lot of Thinkware products over the years and regard them as some of the best in their field. I especially like how the company produces three types of power cable, so you can connect their dash cams to your car’s 12 volt lighter socket, the fuse box, or the OBD II port. The latter two options are what’s called a hardwired connection, where the dash cam has a constant source of power and its parking mode is enabled.
What’s changed?
The F70 Pro looks and feels very similar to the regular F70, but there are some new features. Thinkware says the new model has improved low-light performance, so should produce clearer footage at night – something the previous model struggled with – and it has an improved parking mode. Also new is the Pro’s Wifi connection, so it can be connected to and controlled by a smartphone using Thinkware’s free app.
Specifications
Resolution: Full HD (1920 x 1080)
Frame rate: 30 fps
Field of view: 140 degrees
HDR: No, but has “Wide Dynamic Range”
Wifi: Yes
GPS: No (optional extra)
Display: No
Battery: No, but 12V, OBD and hardwire options available
Parking mode: Yes, OBD or hardwiring required
Price and availability
The F70 Pro is available now in the UK, US and across Europe. It can be bought from a wide range of retailers, including Amazon and BestBuy, as well as directly from Thinkware’s own website. In my native UK the F70 Pro is priced at £119, which makes it £20 more expensive than the six-year-old F70.
This doesn’t seem too bad, until I found that the F70 Pro is €105 (about £90) in France and just $100 (£79) in the US, both via Amazon. The US price in particular makes the dash cam feel like great value for money, and hopefully UK retailers will be able to drop the price over here to make the F70 Pro feel more competitive. Although, with the aging F70 still priced at £99 that seems unlikely for now.
Build and handling
Just like the F70, the new F70 Pro is one of the smallest dash cams on the market. Personally, I prefer a dash cam to forego a display and be as small as possible, thus hiding neatly behind the rear-view mirror and causing minimal distraction to the driver.
Cylindrical in shape, the F70 Pro slots onto a simple windscreen mount that sticks to the glass with an integrated adhesive pad, while the dash cam’s mount can be adjusted vertically to get the perfect view. The camera can be slid off its mount, but this takes a fair bit of effort so you’re best leaving it in place once installed.
There’s a manual record button on the right-hand edge of the F70 Pro. This is for when you witness an incident but aren’t directly involved (and the dash cam’s G-sensor hasn’t detected an impact). On the opposite side there’s a socket to connect Thinkware’s optional GPS antenna (sold separately) and a button for enabling Wifi. Lastly, the bottom edge is home to a microSD card slot. Thinkware helpfully includes a 32GB card in the box, pre-installed, formatted and ready to go.
Like other Thinkware products I’ve used, the F70 Pro feels well-made. It’s a discreet dash cam that won’t get in your way or your eye line, even in small cars with shallow windscreens. It’s easy to run the cable to a 12V socket, but if you want to use the included hardwiring kit, I suggest you pay a professional to make the installation as neat as possible.
Performance
Installing and setting up the F70 Pro is nice and easy. I opted to plug into my car’s 12V socket, since I review dash cams regularly and can’t be hardwiring them every time I try out a new one. While you can simply plug the dash cam in and leave it to start recording, I recommend downloading the free Thinkware Dash Cam Link app and using that to tweak the F70 Pro’s various settings.
Here you’ll find a live view of the camera to help position it correctly, plus options for adjusting the sensitivity of the G-force sensor. I had to adjust this to its lowest setting, as the camera was logging an incident almost every time I drove over a large speed bump. There are also options for disabling the microphone, tweaking the camera, turning safety camera alerts on or off, and fine-tuning how the parking mode works.
Some of these settings are quite complicated and refer to how the camera works when hardwired to your car. There’s a function for protecting your car battery, but beyond that there are also options to pick the voltage at which the camera shuts down (to prevent it draining your car’s 12V battery while in parking mode, preventing the vehicle from starting). These are best left for a professional to set up during the hardwired installation process, if that’s something you choose to do.
Lastly for the app, you can have the F70 Pro use your phone’s GPS connection. This adds speed and location data to your recordings.
Above: video samples shot in daylight and at night with the F70 Pro
Video quality is a little disappointing. It’s no worse than the F70, but crucially it is also no better, at least during the day. I had hoped that, six years on from that dash cam’s arrival, the new Pro model would take things on a bit. I didn’t expect stunning 4K video, but the amount of grain even on a fairly bright day was a surprise. It’s not terrible, and it would still do a perfectly decent job of showing who was responsible for a collision. But details like vehicle registration plates and street signs are sometimes trickier to read than I’d expect from a new dash cam in 2024.
I also tried the F70 Pro after dark, and here its performance was more impressive. Footage is clearer than the old F70’s, and although details like registration plates are less legible than they are during the day, the difference isn’t huge and there’s less grainy noise than I was expecting. The F70 Pro’s nighttime performance is actually pretty good for the price.
It’s a shame that Thinkware has attended the Apple school of needlessly adding ‘Pro’ to a product name. If I were a professional driver – perhaps I drove a taxi – I’d want higher video quality than what the F70 Pro produces. I know it’s a fairly cheap dash cam (in the US, at least) and the addition of Wifi is welcome. But anyone hoping for a professional experience from the new name should temper their expectations. This is a perfectly good sub-$100 dash cam, but not a great one.
Final verdict
In the six years since the F70 arrived in 2018, I had expected Thinkware to have moved the game on considerably with the new F70 Pro, and not least because of the name. The design remains good, with its compact body and lack of a display making the F70 Pro compact and discreet.
It is also easy to set up and install, and the addition of Wifi helps with adjusting settings via the smartphone app. I wish connecting to the dash cam and interacting with it via the app was quicker, but this all works well enough considering the price point.
But video quality should be better, especially given the ‘Pro’ name. I was disappointed by how grainy daytime recordings were, and that it was sometimes impossible to read crucial details like number plates and street signs, even when close by. That said, footage is still broadly usable and the nighttime performance exceeded my expectations.
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https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/reviews/thinkware-f70-pro-review-a-compact-dash-cam-with-some-useful-upgrades
| 2024-01-31T23:59:59Z
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The 412th Test Wing answered the call of duty in support of Bamboo Eagle, a live-fly exercise that teams over 3,000 servicemembers across four branches to fly, maintain and support more than 150 aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and other operating locations, Jan. 26, 2024.
This work, Bamboo Eagle 24-1 lands at Edwards AFB, by Harley Huntington, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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https://www.dvidshub.net/video/911730/bamboo-eagle-24-1-lands-edwards-afb
| 2024-01-31T23:59:59Z
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Whoopi Goldberg and Joy Behar are all in for Taylor Swift’s NFL attendance.
The two attacked the toxic individuals who have been attacking Taylor Swift for appearing on screen during her football lover Travis Kelce's games.
“What are you so pissed about?” Goldberg asked on Wednesday’s episode of The View of men being angry at Swift in the stands during games.
“Why are you so mad? There is so, so many things to be angry at in this world. Why are these men toxically masculine?”
In response, co-host Sara Haines of Goldberg speculated that Swift didn't "fit these traditional roles" as the NFL has historically been a "no girls allowed" environment.
“Here comes Taylor Swift. She has more money; therefore, more power. She’s more famous, and she’s coming in to see her boyfriend in his home,” Haines said.
The Grammy winner's "appearance" in an unconventional role, she continued, is "very uncomfortable for some people."
However, Behar, 81, underlined that this category of people should also consult a therapist. At first, she sympathised with some of these men, for whom "things have not gone their way" with the growth of feminism.
“These guys need some therapy,” Behar said. “Go get a shrink! I mean, they don’t consider it masculine to be in therapy. It is not about masculine [or] feminine, it is about your brain, and so they need some help, and that’s why I feel sorry for them.”
In addition, Sunny Hostin referred to the critics of Swift's attendance at football games as a "weirdo group."
“If they show her for 25 seconds enjoying and supporting her partner, I don’t know what’s wrong with that,” Hostin, 55, added.
The 34-year-old singer of Blank Space has been making headlines more than usual in the past several months after she started supporting her 34-year-old teammate, Kelce, during his Kansas City Chiefs games.
Margot shares her views on getting snubbed by Academy Awards
Kelly Clarkson shares her children and relocation helped her shed few extra pounds
Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison on two counts of rape
Zayn Malik speaks up about his goals and beverage brand for balance in latest interview
Ashley Graham will evaluate female entrepreneurs on the series alongside Emma Grede
Zelda William, daughter of late actor Robin Williams, making her directorial debut with Lisa Frankenstein
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https://www.thenews.com.pk/latest/1153325-whoopi-goldberg-joy-behar-supports-taylor-swifts-nfl-presence
| 2024-01-31T23:59:59Z
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Boeing released its 2023 earnings Wednesday, but the company's CEO spent most of a call with investors talking about safety and quality.
Boeing is facing big questions about quality control after a door plug panel blew off one of its 737 Max 9 jets in midair earlier this month.
"We are not issuing financial outlook for 2024 today. Now is not the time for that," chief executive Dave Calhoun said during an earnings call.
Instead, Calhoun focused much of the call seeking to reassure analysts — and the flying public — that the plane maker is taking the incident seriously.
"We will simply focus on every next airplane, and ensuring we meet all the standards that we have, all the standards that our regulator has and that our customers demand," he said.
Calhoun did not offer any information about the cause of the incident on January 5th, which is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board. No one was seriously injured, but the incident touched off another crisis for Boeing. The troubled plane maker was still working to rebuild public trust after 346 people died in two 737 Max 8 jets that crashed in 2018 and 2019.
Boeing said Wednesday it lost $30 million in the fourth quarter of 2023. That's a better performance than the final quarter of 2022, when the company lost more than $600 million. Overall, Boeing lost $2.2 billion last year — its best result in 5 years.
But any improvement in the company's financials has been overshadowed by the latest safety incident.
The Federal Aviation Administration is allowing Boeing 737 Max 9 planes to fly again after an inspection and maintenance. Calhoun said airlines have now returned 129 Max 9 planes to service, out of a total of 171 that were grounded by the FAA.
Earlier this week, Boeing formally withdrew its request for an exemption from federal safety rules in order to speed up certification of its new Boeing Max 7 jet to start flying. The company had been hoping to begin delivering those smaller planes to airlines this year, despite a design flaw with the Max's engine de-icing system that could be potentially catastrophic.
Boeing wanted to use the same workaround that's already in use on its Max 8 and Max 9 jets. Now the company says it will focus on a permanent engineering fix instead.
Calhoun told analysts on Wednesday that process is expected to take about nine months, likely pushing certification of the Max 7 back into 2025.
The FAA has also taken the unusual step of ordering production caps at Boeing's factories. Calhoun said the company will continue producing 737s at the rate of 38 per month until the FAA agrees to lift that limit. And Calhoun told analysts that slowing down production at the behest of regulators would help the company fix problems in its factory and supply chain.
"I'm sort of glad they called out a pause. That's an excuse to take our time, and do it right," Calhoun said. "This is what we do, and how we get better."
But some longtime observers are skeptical that Boeing management is ready to confront the true scale of the problem.
"I'm sure they're hoping for a quick fix," said Peter Lemme, a former Boeing engineer who's now an aviation consultant. "But this is like a cancer in the system. And how far has it infiltrated, and what are you gonna do to eradicate it? I think it's going to take years for Boeing to really get back to where they should be on quality and manufacturing."
The NTSB is expected to release preliminary findings from its investigations of the Alaska Airlines incident in the coming days.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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https://www.wunc.org/2024-01-31/boeing-declines-to-give-a-financial-outlook-as-it-focuses-on-quality-and-safety
| 2024-01-31T23:59:59Z
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MIAMI — A federal judge has dismissed the Walt Disney Company's lawsuit against Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Disney sued after DeSantis and state lawmakers removed its self-governing status in 2023.
Backed by Republican lawmakers, DeSantis dissolved a special district near Orlando that for more than fifty years had governed Walt Disney World. He acted after Disney's CEO opposed a law limiting how sex orientation and gender identity can be discussed in the schools. The Parental Rights in Education Act was labeled "Don't Say Gay" by opponents.
At DeSantis' request, Florida's GOP-controlled legislature created a new special district, the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District, controlled by the Republican Governor's appointees. Disney sued in federal court, saying DeSantis was retaliating against the company, punishing it for exercising its First Amendment right to freedom of speech. Disney also canceled plans for a $1 billion campus in Florida.
In a 17-page order, U.S. District Judge Allen Winsor dismissed the case, saying Disney lacks standing to sue the governor. The judge also said while Disney could sue the new DeSantis-appointed board, it hadn't shown evidence that actions by the new board had harmed the company. In addition, Winsor said the law prohibits plaintiffs from bringing a free speech challenge to constitutionally enacted laws.
A DeSantis spokesman hailed the decision saying, "the Corporate Kingdom is over. The days of Disney controlling its own government and being placed above the law are long gone. Disney is still just one of many corporations in the state and they do not have a right to their own special government."
Disney says it will "press forward with its case." In a statement after the ruling, a company spokesperson said, "If left unchallenged, this would set a dangerous precedent and give license to states to weaponize their official powers to punish the expression of political viewpoints they disagree with."
Disney and the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District board are also embroiled in lawsuits in state court.
Copyright 2024 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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https://www.ijpr.org/npr-news/2024-01-31/a-federal-judge-dismisses-disneys-lawsuit-against-florida-gov-ron-desantis
| 2024-01-31T23:59:59Z
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Jobs for an Aberdeen Pizza Hut were listed; no plans for restart
Pizza Hut not returning to its former location, despite job postings suggesting otherwise.
Six job postings were recently listed on hiring websites and PizzaHut.com for open positions at an Aberdeen Pizza Hut location.
This includes what appeared to be a full staff including General Manager, Assistant Manager, and other staff positions for a restaurant at the former address on Wishkah and Broadway.
KXRO reached out to several local contacts, and nothing indicated that Pizza Hut was coming back to that space.
A representative from Yum Brands, the parent company of Pizza Hut, confirmed this week that the local restaurant remains closed and there is no new franchise currently slated for the location.
We also spoke to the manager at the closest Pizza Hut location to Grays Harbor in Shelton, who was also unaware of any new openings. Multiple manager positions are also listed on the company website for that location.
The Aberdeen Pizza Hut at the same address as the listings closed in February 2023.
At the start of 2023, Nancy Riemer, the owner of the local store as part of Pizza Hut of the Rockies, confirmed that the Aberdeen store was going to close, but did not share details about what led to the closure at that time.
Despite closures within the state, the job listings appear to have been posted by automation for open positions.
When KXRO searched job postings at PizzaHut.com, over 600 jobs were listed as available in Washington, including 95 General Manager roles. The website also shows only 106 locations statewide.
The job listings remain on the corporate website as of January 31, 2024.
A request for official comment from Riemer has not been responded to.
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https://www.kix953.com/jobs-for-an-aberdeen-pizza-hut-were-listed-no-plans-for-restart/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:59Z
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HBO has traditionally allowed the mercurial Larry David to decide whether or not there would be more seasons of Curb Your Enthusiasm, but to Variety, he now says this is it.
At Tuesday night's Los Angeles red carpet premiere for the forthcoming 12th and final season, David acknowledged to the trade that he's said the show was over many times before.
"Yeah, I said it before. But I wasn't 76 when I said it," he noted.
The Seinfeld co-creator also expressed of the Emmy-winning show, "It's time. Twelve years, that's a lot for a television show -- over 24 years. It was time."
The series, which began in 1999 as a one-off mockumentary about David's alleged return to stand-up comedy, launched as a series in 2000.
HBO had always given David a wide berth to return for subsequent seasons at his leisure. For instance, there was a six-year gap between seasons eight and nine.
During its run, the show racked up 51 Emmy nominations with two wins, including an Outstanding Comedy Series Emmy in 2002.
Curb Your Enthusiasm's 12th season kicks off on Sunday at 10 p.m. ET/PT on HBO and Max.
New episodes will debut subsequent Sundays at the same time, leading up to the series finale on April 7.
Copyright © 2024, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
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https://www.kkyx.com/entertainment/its-time-larry-david/VUYGNEKLMVKCRFOU4BHSRW4CUA/
| 2024-01-31T23:59:59Z
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